The Insignificance of Mankind

“The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.” British Statesmen Edmund Burke

Mankind, culture, people, nations, business and self. These are just the few descriptors of what we see mankind as. But as a complex bunch we are the driving force behind it are everyday emotions, pride, ego and self esteem. Many position themselves through life whether consciously or subconsciously above others.

The skilful have the ability of achieving leadership status within their personal groups or circles of influence. These people can be seen in positions of authority and for the most part are looked at by others as deserving. For many others, the struggle to achieve recognition takes on other forms

The old childhood game of “King of the Castle” is an ongoing drama that children take into adulthood and whether they are aware of the dynamics involved, role play over and over again for those people who are not natural leaders and have been slotted into subordinate roles. But for those who do not feel deserving of the humble station in life tend to ‘just take’ power. For those people, manipulation, force, violence and cunning are all the tools they use to make themselves feel significant.

This struggle for influence and power brokering can be seen on a large scale in world politics. Mankind walks this earth and goes about their business as if our species deserve to dominate this planet. Wars are waged through power of the elite. Corporate greed is sought after through people whose self worth is only satisfied through corporate manipulation usually at the pain of others crushed beneath their feet. Foreign policy of nations trample on the human rights and value systems of countries identified as less developed or third world. Terms used to publicly identify theses cultures as beneath those in power and worthy of occupation. Terms used through propaganda to justify the trampling of others in the pursuit of international self worth.

Closer to home in the work-force, conflicts flourish through ‘empowerment’ management. This simple concept preaches that those in power should share. Power taken by the micro-masses, misused in the hands of some individuals in businesses and organizations are abused through cunning, manipulation and greed of those who need to achieve more self worth. The end result are emotionally beaten souls at the hands of those undeserving thumping their chests in self fulfillment.

These power struggles in the work place, although destructive, will never go away because mankind will never change. The game of “King of the Castle” is an ongoing serialized theme.

For some who have been fed upon by micro-empowered brokers come home at the end of working day and in an effort to achieve self-worth target their own families. Sheltered abuse reigns in families where spousal and child abuse flourishes. The offender through cunning, deceit, manipulation and learned behaviour at the hands of others plays out their craft on the down-cast spouse or child.

Beatings, verbal and emotional abuse reduces these family members to the lowest common denominator. The victims develop hatred and self-loathing. The abuser having embraced their new achieved self-worth through dominance thumps their chests in victory, some woefully unaware of the destruction left in their paths. The game of “King of the Castle” continues with its next move.

Through these acts of hill climbing, clutching at power taken from less fortunate societies, spouses whose only claim to fame was to love the abuser, children whose only shame came at the trust of their abusive parents, the power hungry human is seen as truly significant in their own eyes. Walking high in tall cotton, chest pushed out, the power hungry member of mankind is truly the center of the universe.

Afterall, we have achieved technological feats that seem magical, conquered flight, harnessed and redirected energy and recreated life. Powers that truly demonstrate mankind’s dominance in nature. In our egocentrical conquest for power, achievement, recognition and control we have placed ourselves above everyone and everything. So high that we can see the four corners of the earth with arms stretched out saying, “All this can be ours.”

Then a bubble bursts as one morning the sun shines, dark clouds roll in from the northwest. Starting in Edmonton the power of nature comes full force. The power of the earth roles across the prairie and rapidly collapses a stage killing someone’s daughter and injuring 15 others. Huge trees are uprooted and property damages soars. Continuing south in Calgary an innocent child is killed as debris is blown around her. During natures fury we were all held in fear for what really was a brief moment in time.

At that moment all that walk this earth are equal. The bullies, family abusers, power brokers are blown about as nature puts mankind in it’s place. For in the end, mankind is truly insignificant.

We are only visitors on this earth, for those structures in nature will survive each and every one of us. We can feed on the emotions of our families, neighbours and fellow workers in order to climb over the heap of those we perceive beneath us, but to this planet we call home, we are nothing but an insignificant creature created from dirt.

This past weekend was a humbling experience, as the storms tore throughout Alberta leaving death, injuries and property damage. Our hearts and condolences go out to the families forever touched by nature’s power. But for the rest of us, it is a reminder of just how insufficient our clamouring for power truly is, for in contrast to nature, mankind is truly insignificant.