The Academy
“Duty to one, Duty to all”
I thought I’d resurrect this post, seeming as it has been a long time since I originally wrote it and precious little has changed (if anything has, it has probably been for the worse!)…
Officium unum, omnes officium
“Duty to one, Duty to all”
Nobility is not a matter of privilege; it is a matter of solemn responsibility and service. It is the forgetting of this maxim that has contributed to the deterioration of the modern world, and, whether you wish to admit it or not, the emphasis on liberty has contributed significantly to that decay. While liberty is certainly important, it should not be the focal point of our existence. Ultimate liberty ends in slavery, a never-ending pursuit of short-term pleasure and benefit at inestimable long-term expense. Liberty within bounds is what we should strive for, a liberty that recognizes that the persons around us are beings like ourselves and deserve our respect and consideration, a liberty that treats the well-being of those that come after us as something as precious as our own continuance.
Another contributing factor in that decline I mentioned above is that of the linking of privilege and authority in the first place. Leaders should be servants to their people first, last, and always. This does not mean that they should neglect their own needs in favor of the people’s- rather, it means that they should act in the people’s best interests, whether those interests are popular or no. They should endeavor to balance the needs of all their people, whether they have much or little, whether they stand here in this very moment or will stand in that exact spot centuries from now. Leaders should be living reminders of the duty, sacrifice, wisdom, perseverance, faith, and commitment that all of us should possess- “If you want cushy privilege and advantage at the expense, go elsewhere- only servants need apply here”. If we had that attitude about positions of responsibility, we’d have fewer problems with abuse of power and privilege.
Some will say that this is an unrealistic expectation- I would counter that, when you expect and require little from people, that is precisely what you will receive and, in fact, what we have, by and large, received. When we require no commitment from citizens, why are we surprised when we receive little contribution to the whole? When we make no time or place for community-building, why are we surprised when there is a lack of common values or common purpose? If we are to have any chance at creating a community and a civilization that can endure, then we need to change our paradigm to one that considers all and includes all, that challenges people to strive to be more than they are today… and we also need volunteers, Guardians, if you will, who are willing to dedicate their lives to embodying the principles on which such a community and a civilization would be founded. I think that many of us have an innate attraction to such a concept- I would argue that is part of the reason why there is, after all this time, still an enduring fondness (at least among youth) for the tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table… maybe that is a sign that all is not yet lost. I, for one, certainly hope so!
If this post interests you and you are willing to engage in the pursuit of Truth and service to others, then I invite you to respond to this post. If you know of others who would hear the call, pass it on!
