The Way It Could Be.

 

Part 9 of 12.

 

Day 3: Morning

 

 

 

This time Mike woke up late, and took his time to get moving.  From the window he could see Pete in the vegetable garden. Things from yesterday kept clicking onto his mental desktop.  He rummaged among them, until Bernie appeared – whereÕs the delete button when you need it. Time to get busy doing something.  Packing would do for now, as this was to be his last day in The Glen.

 

As he came into the kitchen Jan said ÒWeÕve had breakfast but IÕll have a mug while you have yours, unless youÕd like to go for a walk.Ó

 

ÒOh, no, IÕm starting slow this morning.  Happy to sit.Ó

 

Amy breezed through.  Mike was disappointed that she still seemed rather cool towards him.  Evidently he was going to help Andy maintain a water wheel. Pete soon came in to help her get ready.

 

ÒAre you all set for the great treasure hunt Mike?  It starts in about an hour.Ó

 

ÒYes. Tell me a bit about it.Ó

 

 ÒThereÕs a group of students visiting us. from Canada I think.  Jenny has organised for them to do the treasure hunt and we thought you might like to join in.  You get clues and have to work out how to get to the end of the course and find the treasure.  YouÕd enjoy it, some surprises though.Ó

 

ÒWell, OK. Sounds interesting. How long does it take?Ó

 

ÒAbout two hours.  The course takes you around the village and through the forests.Ó

 

ÒWhatÕs the treasure?Ó

 

ÒYouÕll find out, but I can tell you itÕs very valuable.  Oh do you have any old things to wear?Ó

 

ÒNo, not really.Ó

 

ÒYou could use some of PeteÕs.  You two are about the same size.  Would that be alright?Ó

 

Mike sat facing the window.  ÒFabulous morning out there.Ó

 

ÒYes.  ThereÕs rain about still, but just look at that view.Ó

 

ÒIs that where Amy went the other day, to the top of that mountain?Õ

 

ÒNo.  ThatÕs our highest peak.  Not that its very high really.  ItÕs little more than a steep hill, but itÕs the biggest one around here.Ó

 

ÒStill the view from the top must be great.Ó

 

ÒOh yes I suppose so.Ó

 

ÒDonÕt you know.  Do you mean youÕve never climbed it?Ó

 

ÒNo.Ó

 

ÒThatÕs surprising.  I thought by now you would have been up there many times.Ó

 

ÒWe walk on the slopes but we donÕt go to the top.Ó

 

ÒWhy not?Ó

 

Jan thought for a moment.  ÒOut of respect I guess.Ó

 

ÒWhat?Ó

 

She paused again, as if deciding which way to go, then said, ÒOK.  WhatÕs the right attitude to that mountain?Ó

 

Mike just stared.

 

ÒHe gives us our water, and shelters us from the westerlies.  HeÕs much older than me, and so patient.  He can take fires and droughts; always comes back green. He knows more about this region than I do.  And I like nestling down here in his valley.  And his forests are magical.  So IÕd say the right attitude is a mixture of humility and gratitude and respect.  To me, to climb him would be to conquer him, to assert my superiority.  ThatÕs not the right way to think about him. I often wonder what he thinks about these silly little human lice that crawl over him in recent times, causing so much disturbance.  HeÕll be here long after weÕve gone.Ó

 

ÒYou are a Pantheist!Ó

 

ÒThatÕs right.  ArenÕt you?   ItÕs the only road to salvation you know.  Humans wonÕt save the environment until they come to respect, appreciate and indeed worship nature.Ó

 

ÒThen weÕve had it!  ThatÕs too much to expect.Ó

 

ÒMaybe.   But that outlook is reinforced when you live close to nature and become very dependent on her.  People who live in cities canÕt be expected to understand any of this.  So if we can only get them into places like The Glen itÕll be easier than you might have thought to get the reverence going.Ó

 

ÒYes, thatÕs plausible, but itÕs going to be very difficult. Reverence for nature isnÕt in the Western mentality.Ó

 

ÒRight.  NatureÕs there to exploit, conquer, dig up, log, sell off.  By the way do you know what Edmund Hillary said when he reached to top of Mt. Everest?Ó

 

ÒNo.Ó

 

ÒWe knocked the bastard off.Ó

 

Mike felt as if one of his family had let the team down.  Neither spoke for a while.  Then he saw an out. ÒTell me.  Yesterday, when Pete asked if Ô

Amy was coming you went a bit funny.  What was that about?Ó

 

Jan paused, expressionless, staring down for a moment, then said.  ÒI get overwhelmed, by the difference, the gulf.  You and I are so different.  We are from different planets.  DonÕt you see, the difference between your culture and ours is astronomical.  ItÕs so staggeringly big sometimes I donÕt see how it can ever be overcome.  Where you come from the mind is hard wired to be about winning and getting and affluent living standards and high tech and market forces and economic growthÉÓ

 

ÒÉand marble benches, and KDRs.Ó

 

ÒYou and Eleanor canÕt get out of your predicament unless and until your mind becomes centred on the very opposites of those things.  The difference is so huge we might as well be from two different planets.  So there I was looking at you and being so conscious that you were two metres away but a million miles away.  You look like us but under that surface, you are so alienÉor we are.  All the problems, all the suffering, the thousands who will perish today, because of a mentality, and I canÕt do anything about it.Ó

 

Neither spoke for some moments, then Mike said, ÒWhile we are on the subject of uncomfortable thoughtsÉmaybe I should let it go, butÉwellÉI whish Pete hadnÕt burped.  That jars with the rest of him, you know.  HeÕs a nice sensible, caring, very civilised person.  Yet hereÕs this bit of behaviour thatÕs so contradictory, crude and ugly.  I know it was contrived, to menergy, ake a point, but still it damages his image.Ó

 

Jan continued to gaze at the floor, again evidently working out which way to go.  ÒMaybe I shouldnÕt explain, but, you see, PeteÕs role with visitors is to do most of the explaining and sometimes, often in fact, people focus on him as a guru, the wise person with all the answers.  Well thatÕs not the point.  The GlenÕs got the answers.  We want people to focus on our systems, our culture, not on any individual here.  So PeteÕs way of making sure people donÕt idolise him is to do things like the burp.  You got off lightly!  He has other devices in his formidable armory.  Problem is I think he likes you and heÕs a bit ambivalent about distancing you.  Incidentally, I didnÕt tell you any of that.Ó

 

She swept her arm towards the window.  ÒWhat would Eleanor see there?Ó

 

ÒSheÕd think it was a pretty picture É but it wouldnÕt be for her.  Country town.  No bustle. No glitz.  No boutiques.  No malls.  No crowds.   No nice dresses.  No shakers and movers.  Sleepy, boring actually.  Too quiet.  Quaint little people content with their little parochial preoccupationsÉscones and knitting and eggs and cabbage seedlings.  Sorry but IÕm being honest.Ó

 

ÒBut thatÕs not seeing whatÕs there!Ó

 

ÒWell what is there?Ó

 

ÒA seething cauldron, bubbling with activity, projects, purposes, creativity, planning, ideas, energy, callings.   People plunging into things, enjoying their craft, dinners, discussions, helping.  WhatÕs Gran doing right now? Racking her brains how to decorate the cake for MelanieÕs birthday.  WhatÕs Tom doing?  Probably cursing heÕs got so many nice jobs to do that he still hasnÕt got that horse head done.  HarryÕs probably scheming about how best to reorganise his allergies information.  ElsieÕs group is probably working on the catering for to night.  AllenÕs group is probably digging that pit for the new garbage gas tank.  It might look sleepy from where you sit but itÕs throbbing and thriving out there.Ó

 

After a few moments Mike said,  ÒBy the way, whoÕs Fred?  His opinion seemed to be very important at the water committee meeting the other night. How come people are so ready to defer to him?

 

ÒOh, sorry! Ò Jan said ÒI shouldÕve realised you wouldnÕt have known about Fred.  No one explained him yet?Ó

 

"No.Ó

 

"Ah then you must meet Fred.  Very influential fellow, our Fred.Ó  Jan said, getting up out of her chair.  ÓCome on.Ó She moved towards the door still carrying her mug.  Mike got up and followed, a bit puzzled at such a sudden decision to go and meet someone when he was still eating breakfast."

 

But Jan only went to the desk in the next room and had started to fiddle with the computer.  ÒSit down.  IÕm just calling up Fred.Ó  A few seconds later, ÒAh, there he is.  Now what would you like to know?Ó

 

ÒWhat?Ó

 

ÒWhat would you like to know. Tell me something you would like to know about, some controversial issue likeÉÓ

 

Mike thought heÕd been follower long enough and a bit of assertion was called for, so he cut her off with, ÓDoes God exist?Ó

 

 Jan didnÕt miss a beat, but just rattled away and said, ÒThere we are, thereÕs the index.  Now lets rummage around a bit.  First we had better find God.Ó 

 

ÒYou can do that?!Ó Mike said in mock amazement, although he had no idea what was going on.

 

ÒYep. There he is.Ó Jan pointed to the screen.  It was displaying a list from the top to the bottom of the screen.   At the left side of every line was the world God, followed by other words Mike couldnÕt make out as Jan moved down the screen, muttering to herself.  Then she said, ÒLets try existence ofÉÓ  Another few seconds and she said, ÒAh, here we are; this looks like what we want.Ó 

 

Mike now saw on the stationary screen many lines on which the world God was followed by Ô- existence ofÕ.

 

ÒWell, how long have you got?Ó Jan asked,  ÓHow long are you prepared to spend on this trivial question? 

 

Mike didnÕt know what to say.

 

ÒWeÕre due at the Hunt in less than hour.  YouÕd better take an overview.  You can go to the longer accounts later if you want to.  She scrolled down a bit more and checked on an entry.  ÒSo there you are.Ó  On the screen Pete could see a document headed ÔGod/TheExistenceOf/Overviews/ Level1.Õ

 

Jan said, ÒOK, OK.  Time to explain.  Fred is a type of encyclopedia but one that deals mainly with controversial social and philosophical issues.  But thereÕs also a lot of technical information, for example on the best gravels for reed beds and the costs of garbage gas plant.  He enables you to get onto a very good account of an issue, quickly and efficiently and clearly and reliably.Ó

 

ÒSo does he tell me whether God does in fact exist?Ó 

 

ÒHe tells you want can be said about that.  ThereÕs a general format for entries.  If you ask, ÒDoes acupuncture cure Arthritis?Ó FredÕs first concern is to tell you the facts, i.e., whatÕs known.  His second aim is to tell you what the main theories or views or positions or arguments on the issue are.  In this case Fred has set out for you the arguments for and against the existence of God.

 

ÒHow do I know FredÕs reliable?  He can only be giving an interpretation, and all interpretations are biased, from a point of view.  It canÕt be otherwise.  Why should I take any notice of FredÕs view?  Anyway, who is Fred?Ó

 

ÒOf course, of course.  Interpretations are problematic and thereÕs no one thatÕs the correct and complete one.  What Fred does is give you the interpretation developed by the panel that works on looking after that topic or field.  You can look up who they are.  They do their best to think out what all the evidence means, knowing that they must try as hard as possible to help you understand the issue and to avoid bias.  Often theyÕll say there are several interpretations of this field or topic, and they will set all these out.  Sometimes theyÕll say this one or that one seems best to them and theyÕll give their reasons.  Sometimes theyÕll say they have no doubt about what the best interpretation is, and sometimes theyÕll say theyÕre not at all confident but this is the way it seems to them to be, or theyÕll say they canÕt decide, but  here are the interpretations that are held and between which they canÕt decideÉwith their supporting cases.Ó

 

ÒWhy donÕt you just get a good account from some textbook?Ó

 

ÒOh thatÕs what we often do.  The panel knows the literature in the field so it usually just selects some existing account that they think is the best, or get onto someone they know who would know.  But sometimes they think itÕs best to put together their own, maybe based on a text.Ó

 

ÒWhoÕs on these panels?Ó

 

ÒPeople volunteer and theyÕre registered and ÔofficialÕ.  They include mostly academics in the field in question, but also ordinary people.  They regard their work as an extremely important contribution to their society and theyÕre very conscious of the need to sort out and present good reliable, clear accounts, and to be as unbiased as possible, because what theyÕre doing is helping us all to understand issues and sort out good social policies, and itÕs crucial that we do that as well and as conveniently as possible.  There are two sorts of statements.  Many are about long term issues that donÕt change much over time, like what are the arguments for and against the existence of God, or what were the causes of World War 1.  These are changed if new evidence and ideas come in, and from time to time the panel overseeing such an issue will revise the material on it. 

 

ÒAnd the second kind?Ó

 

ÒThe second is to do with current local affairs.  Something that comes up suddenly and might be about a debate over policy, or a decision that has to be made.  These can be pretty trivial, like what speed limit to put on a particular roadÉÓ

 

ÒHow about the conclusions the committee came to on the garbage gas proposal?Ó

 

ÒYes, good example. If you want to clue up on where that discussion is at you can be sure someone has put up a summary of it.  The great thing is that you always k now exactly where you can quickly get a summary, a good simple overview of the issue, about what you would get on one page.Ó

 

ÒBut how can you be sure oneÕs there?Ó

 

ÒOh you canÕt.  It depends on whether someone familiar with the issue has taken the trouble, but people tend to do that, because they know it will help others to be familiar with the issue.Ó

 

"Does anyone ever challenge the accounts?

 

ÒYes.  You can lodge your view and the panel will consider your arguments.  They might revise their statement, or if not they would attach a commentary to your input.  There might then be a long debate which anyone interested can read over.  All archived if you want to dig through.  See itÕs all about giving you all the information you need to work out your position on the issue, and saving you the immense trouble of having to dig it out and sort it out for yourself, when you donÕt know the field and canÔt tell whatÕs good stuff and what isnÕt.Ó

 

Ò Well, well.    ItÕs all very interesting.   But why do it?  Why have you gone to so much trouble.  Why are all these little groups beavering away all the time when they could be at the pub?Ó

 

Jan paused, leaned back and stared at the ceiling, with a ÒWhere to begin?Ó sigh.

 

 ÒLook, most of the mess in the world, the conflicts, the stuff-ups, the rackets, the domination, the suffering and most of the wars that go on, wouldnÕt happen if people were able to understand the issues properly.  Politics is usually about interest groups struggling to get their way at the disadvantage of others and crucial in this is bluffing, lying and bullying people into accepting their case or their version of the situation.  The social policies you get are shaped by how people in general see the issues and again in most societies people have very imperfect and distorted understandings of what the situation is and what options there are and what the effects of different actions are likely to be.  In the society you come from there is no way ordinary people can sort any of this out, and be at all sure what to support or vote for.  And some people have immense power to get you to see the issue the way they want you to see it.  A very few very rich people own all the media, and they use them to make the world appear as they want you to see it.  A few can hire PR people and advertisers and think tanks.  Governments and corporations and unions and church leaders often put their ÒspinÓ on the issue, that is they lie and deceive, and you have no way of knowing what the situation really is.  In any case most of us donÕt have the time to sort it all out.Ó

 

ÒOK.  l can see a good Fred might eliminate those problems.Ó

 

ÒThe main reason why disadvantaged and oppressed people put up with their situation is to do with ideology.  They either donÕt understand that the situation is unjust or they think itÕs legitimate and they donÕt deserve a better deal.  Once everyone believed that the king had a divine right to rule.  The crucial task that people on the Left have always had, and failed at badly, has been to help poor and oppressed people to see that the systems theyÕre suffering are bad.  Most of the misery humans have endured and that they suffer today would be remedied immediately if people in general understood that the situation is rotten and could and should be changed.  And confused and mistaken ideas are behind much racism, white superiority, and fundamentalism.Ó

 

 ÒOK,Ó said Mike.  ÒLooks great. Really doesÉbut I have just thought of one thing I know that Fred doesnÕt.Ó

 

ÒWhatÕs that?Ó

 

ÒIf weÕre not careful weÕll be late for the treasure hunt.

 

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