This is http://www.essayz.com/a9712091.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %EXCLUSIVE AUTHORITY BALANCE PARADIGM POWER CORRUPT 971209 Some people pretend that they are willing to concentrate all power and authority in one exclusive place --- and in effect ask others to take their exclusive assignment seriously; even though in practice they themselves do not do so in a coherent way. The center of exclusive authority may be: 1. A scientific paradigm. 2. A political theory or party. 3. A scholarly tradition. 4. A set of religious scriptures. 5. An economic theory. 6. A nationalistic government. The proponents of a center of exclusive authority often work to maintain their pretense as a tool with which to manipulate others. Their work may be part of a collusive game of mutual self-deception in which they may be unconscious of the nature of their work --- for deception is the prime concern, because real honesty is too terrifying to to consider. Real honesty would expose the fact that exclusive concentrations of power engender disintegrative corruption which leads to both personal and communal disintegration. Therefore according to the unspeakable rules of the collusive games of mutual self- deception, an appearance is maintained that there is one coherent authority which is trusted exclusively --- while in reality in differing circumstances various sources of authority operate in covert ways. People who operate in covert ways do not merit trust. People who play collusive games of mutual self- deception do not merit trust. People who work to concentrate power in exclusive ways do not merit trust. People who lack balance do not merit trust. People who are willing to sacrifice personal or communal integrity in support of their cause do not merit trust. People who are unwilling to deal honestly with the whole picture and whole people --- do not merit trust. People who exclude from consideration and discussions others who are "different" and/or who differ with them --- do not merit trust. Beware of, and deal prudently and charitably with, people who do not merit trust; for your integrity and the integrity of your community will depend upon such prudence and love. Exclusive people are driven more often by fear than by Love. Love casts out fear. Fear seeks to cast out Love in Self-defense --- in futile efforts to achieve security for Self. Exclusive people contend with each other in Self- defense; seeking to show themselves as beings who are superior to each other. They are usually more proud of being contentious for their cause --- than of being effective in conflict-resolution and peace making. Exclusive people worship causes which are chosen to cast favorable lights upon themselves; and to cast suspicions, doubts, and fears in the directions of those different people whom the exclusive people cannot understand or be in dialogue with --- perhaps "on principle". Exclusive people often exclude each other from favorable consideration --- because of complementary principles, ideals and values which they regard as mutually exclusive in nature; mutually incompatible --- even though in reality they are mutually complementary and together are essential to personal and communal integrity. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================