A Fable?

There was once a Greek Philosopher named Thucydides. He lived during the Pelopponesian War between Athens and Sparta. He also published the famous book, "The History of the Pelopponesian War."


I bring Thucydides up because of what he had to say about the nation of Athens during this war. You see, Athens had stood for enlightenment, democracy, and what was right. But slowly over the course of the war, that changed. It wasn't big changes, but rather small changes that no one really stood up against.


First it was changes from a smaller government to much larger with an overflowing bureaucracy. Then it was the insistence that we are the people in power, and we know what is best, so you'll follow it or else. Then finally among there things, was a complete breakdown of their moral fabric.


In the end, Athens self-destructed. Yes, there were military victories and defeats, but all that they had said they stood for was no longer there. Athens, for all intents and purposes, was gone. The Spartans were not responsible for the fall of Athens. Athens had done it to itself.


Anytime a person, or a society starts making compromises they lose part of themselves. When this trend continues, it only gets worse.


What makes it worse is when the populace of the country just sit back and let things happen because its too hard to do something. Doing nothing is always easy, but rarely has reward.



Betsy