Being Important and Being Good

It seems to me, that these two are incompatible. It may be possible to be both, but it is difficult.

In politics, we elect people to high positions - but give little thought to what it will do to them. The same is true in any organization - people get powerful, and this power changes them - usually for the worse.

I saw this happening in my own family. We all belonged to the same little church - because this made us feel important. We belonged to the One True Church - that had a fantastic future! When this future did not happen, we continued to believe in it anyway.

We knew this was true - because we knew this to be true, and did not doubt it in the least!

This provincial attitude can be expanded - to encompass any large organization whatsoever. We will defend our importance to the death - and sometimes just that. We will destroy ourselves, or others. And this makes us feel even more important!