He was a difficult man. He thought differently and acted differently from the rest of us. He questioned everything. Was he a rebel, a prophet, a psychopath or a hero? “Who can tell the difference?” we said, “And who cares, anyway?”
So we socialized him. We taught him to be sensitive to public opinion and to the feelings of others. We got him to conform. He was a comfortable person to live with now. Well adjusted. We had made him manageable and docile. We congratulated him on having achieved self conquest. He began to congratulate himself. He did not know that it was we who had conquered him.
A Big Guy walked into the crowded room and yelled, “Is there a fellow by the name of Murphy here?”
A Little Fellow stood up and said, “I’m Murphy.” The Big Guy nearly killed him. He cracked five of his ribs, he broke his nose, he gave him two black eyes, he flung him in a heap on the floor. Then he stamped out.
After he had gone we were amazed to see the little fellow chuckling to himself. “I certainly made a fool of that guy.” he was saying softly to himself. “I’m not Murphy! Ha, ha!”
A society that domesticates its rebels has gained its peace. But it has lost its future.
*****
Nasruddin became prime minister to the king. Once while he wandered through the palace, he saw a royal falcon. Now Nasruddin had never seen this kind of a pigeon before. So he got out a pair of scissors and trimmed the claws, the wings and the beak of the falcon.
“Now you look like a decent bird,” he said. “Your keeper had evidently been neglecting you".
You’re different so there’s something wrong with you!
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