"My mind rebelled at his helpless-old-man ploy, but my heart was drawn to this robust old eccentric who claimed to be some kind of warrior. I sat back down. Then a story my grandfather had told me came to mind:
There was once a beloved king whose castle was on a high hill, overlooking his shire. He was so popular that the nearby townspeople sent him gifts daily, and his birthday celebration was enjoyed throughout the kingdom. The people loved him for his renowned wisdom and fair judgments.
One day, tragedy struck the town. The water supply was polluted, and every man, woman, and child went insane. Only the king, who had a private spring, was spared.
Soon after the tragedy, the mad townspeople began speaking of how the king was acting "strangely" and how his judgments were poor and his wisdom a sham. Many even went so far s to say that the king had gone crazy. His popularity soon vanished. No longer did the people bring him gifts or celebrate his birthday.
The lonely king, high on the hill, had no company at all. One day he decided to leave the hill and pay a visit to the town. It was a warm day, and so he drank from the village fountain.
That night there was a great celebration. The people rejoiced, for their beloved king had "regained his sanity".
I realized then that the crazy world that Socrates had referred to was not his world at all, but mine. "
I just felt that this was great food for thought. I often think that I am crazy for viewing the world the way I do. Maybe I'm not the crazy one afterall :)
3 comments:
When living in an insane world, isn't it sane to view it as such?
Yes,you make an excellent point :)
Oh no. Unless there are many "wrong" people, your vision is quite sane.
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