Everywhere in Chains

"Man is born free, but is everywhere in chains."
-Jean Jacques Rousseau

Perhaps it is odd that a red state American is opening a post with a quote from an Enlightenment Frenchman. But then again, our day is full of odd things: to quote the cynical British comedy Black Adder:
Lord Blackadder: "Stranger things have happened, Baldrick."
Baldrick: "Yes sir. Like that horse becoming Pope."

Not that the current Pope is a horse; far from it. I happen to like Our Bavarian Heilige Vater immensely. What I mean is that the world is full of amazing and astonishing events, most of which are related in some way or another. "There is nothing new under the son," bemoaned King Solomon many years ago, probably in extreme boredom (he did have infinite wisdom after all). That fact remains true to this day, and shall for all time. Why on earth do you think they called it the book of Wisdom?

From the beginning of this post you begin to understand that my ramblings will be just that: ramblings. They are as errant as a back road in Ohio; they run on and on, and all of a sudden you don't remember where you were going and you're out of gas. Hopefully, the latter shan't happen. There are enough occurrences in this day in age to keep us all entertained. My thoughts cover a multitude of areas, including but not limited to history, politics, entertainment, the military, education, and cynicism. Which is why I opened with the Rousseau quote. It is a paradox, the type that the author G.K. Chesterton reveled in.

Freedom and chains: both vie for dominance in every aspect of our society and world. Both have roles to play. Unchained freedom sends us to the level of the beast, in the words of 18th century humanists (hats off to them!). However, if chains are allowed to dominate freedom then we have descended to the level of the despot, which is below the beasts. Beasts do not have despots, you see. Someday, perhaps, we shall see who wins this epic battle. My bet is that it ends in a tie in multiple overtimes after the crowd has fallen asleep or gone home.