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The Leviathan

Started by Renegnicat, January 11, 2010, 02:47:35 AM

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Renegnicat

There are two leviathans in the universe of men. If you go somplace like the himalayas, where, alone or in a group, you attempt to scale the second largest mountain on earth: K2, then you will have experienced one. That leviathan of nature, inspires a sort of awe inside the climber. If you ever see the blindingly white landscape, peppered with muted shades of triangular spiking grey that show places where rocks of myriad sizes cluter, before the landscape is cleaved, in two, downward, and a too hundred foot drop into a crevice is all the separates one from life and death.

Look up, and see the enormity of the glaciers, how they rise like castle walls with vines of ice stabbing downward, as if once a waterfall gushed downward in flowing rivulets, only to freeze, at once, in place.

And there you can hear nothing, and at once feel nothing but the utter loneliness of being the only human on earth. Of trespassing on some war god's territory when you hear the booms of avalanches crushing down the slopes, the wind whistling about your head, cold enough to freeze the marrow of your bones.

I feel that this mountain, this environment is a very inspiring atypical leviathing, of which the human one, is it's negative. Both the leviathan of nature and the leviathan of man is large and barren, and remote and cold, and no single individual can penetrate either one, for the lack of even the slightest will in the face of such awesome power.

But though this may be, there is an interesting difference between the leviathan of the mount, and the one of man. While the former provokes awe and wonder, the other, by it's creation of man, seems to be such a pale imitation of what was created in K2 that anyone who looks at the societal leviathan is driven to dread. It seems that mankind can only make a great society by numbing everything that is good in the individual. Whereas one feels completely unique amongst the montains, one is simply another number amongst countles stinky, sweating, farting, swearing mass of fools. One is one in the mountains, but only one amongst many in leviathan.

It's an interesting sort of feeling. But what is more interesting is that the feelings reverse themselves with time. Upon arriving in the mountains, one feels the scape, and the refreshment, and marvels at the beauty of their own insignificance. But then, they go hungry, and the bitter cold takes it's toll, their bones begin to ache, they find they have no one to share this with. ANd when all comes and done, being in the mountains turns from a wondrous feeling to a feeling of miserable wretchedness, if they are there long enough.

On the other hand, the leviathan of man: One sees the waste, the stench, the corruptilon, the mediocrity, and one is disgusted. But then, one sees the talent, the organization, the achievements. One finds food, and pleasurable company,and easy access to water and entertainment, and you can only begin to wonder at all this that didn't exist anywhere, but that was brought forth by the hand of man. That is the spirit of the true leviathan, that by your disgust, you are transfigured to see how much man has done, something that no one could ever do on their own.

And you are awed. I find this concept fascinating. Society seems to be held in disdain by many people, but who would consider actually forsaking it?  :eek:  :blush:
[size=135]The best thing to do is reflect, understand, apreciate, and consider.[/size]

Ihateusernames

:spam2:  :spam2:


-Ihateusernames


PS: Oh wait, your not a troll technically, sorry your post was so troll-looking I accidentally wrote a stock answer : )  *be's a jerk*  But honestly... was there a point in that post that... was... meant.... to convey something we can discuss?  I can't seem to dig it out...
To all the 'Golden Rule' moralists out there:

If a masochist follows the golden rule and harms you, are they being 'good'? ^_^