THE GREAT MASQUERADE OF LIFE

 What is a Masquerade?

There are a number of definitions:

1. A false show or pretense.
2. The wearing of a disguise.
3. Pretend to be someone one is not.
4. Be disguised or passed off as something else.

Where do we see Masquerades?

This post is not about Halloween! An AI search on the internet will easily provide information about its origins. This post is about our personal masquerades. Mainly, the masquerades some of us feel necessary for success. It is about our masquerades in the world around us, in business or in the church or group we may attend, but mostly about those masquerades covering the shame we have buried in our hearts. I'll try to express what I have to say in one post, so I'll use myself as an example and start with my "true confession."

My Masquerade

True confessions are dangerous you know. They are dangerous because we have to admit the truth about ourselves. Some people will turn them back against us. As long as the truth about who we think we are is buried in our hearts, we can go about our lives masquerading, that is, pretending to be someone we are not. 

Me? Throughout my life, I have judged everything and everyone. I realize now that my judgment was mainly in defense of myself. It was rooted in fear. You know the story. The little guy wins over the big guy by throwing the first "sucker" punch. My punches weren't physical. They were my words, but they still defended me!

Where did this way of life come from? Well, I was abused as a child. Kenny Huffman beat me up on the playground in fifth grade. I was a fat kid and ridiculed for it. My Dad died when I was 14 and didn't teach me how to be a man. My mother was controlling and abusive. I learned to hate injustice, particularly when it pertained to me. I could go on but I'm sure you can see the excuses. These reasons really are excuses! Yes, maybe there was some validity in my responses to my life experiences, but mostly they were excuses that caused me to masquerade and hide from the shame in my heart. They formed the shame that became my identity! Not who I really am, but who I thought I was.

Today, I know there are some things I fear, but I'm I don't like to tell anyone. Why? Because some people will respond like Job's friends in the first book written in the Bible. All but one of his friends came to him during his suffering to point out the popular religious opinion that sin caused the suffering in his life. This may have been true, but the environment in which he lived created a lot of shame for not being perfect! The last person that came, however, rightly told him that he needed to follow God's will to be restored, loving and praying for others in other words. He did and He was!

Why Stay in the Masquerade?

For myself, it has been a life-long story. I hated the person I was. There was only human love in my heart for others, but very little of that for myself. Success was always distant, even though I worked and schemed to achieve it. It was all about me! So, I judged everyone and everything to make me feel better. My demeanor was always disguised as I pretended to be like the ones I thought were the good guys. In my business, I had to be the best. In my personal life, I had to be the life of the party. Like some of the world around me, family and children were second place to me. I was on the throne to protect me from others knowing who I thought I really was.

When I became a Christian, I worked to be the best Christian. To serve at a church more than others. To be more spiritual than others. To read my Bible more than others. To win more people to Jesus than others. To memorize more scripture, to have more spiritual gifts and on and on. Still, even with shame and all of its manifestations hidden in my heart, I thought my masquerade would make me a success. 

I remember an old song by The Platters in 1955 titled, "The Great Pretender."  This is who I was! Here are a few lyrics:

Oh-oh, yes, I'm the great pretender
Pretending that I'm doing well
My need is such, I pretend too much
I'm lonely, but no one can tell

Oh-oh, yes, I'm the great pretender
Adrift in a world of my own
I played the game but to my real shame
You've left me to grieve all alone

Too real is this feeling of make-believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal

I know this was written as a lament for a lost love partner. The truth be known, these lyrics typify the masquerade some of us live in! I know I did!

Will the Real Person Please Stand Up!

I was not created by God to be a pretender! Neither were you! The Bible tells us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10). Jesus became my Savior when I accepted Him in my heart. Learning to make Him my Lord has been a long process however. In fact, I'm still seeking Him to help me be free of what life made me to be.

Jesus Christ created the way for us to be like Him when He died on the cross and cried out "It is finished." The problem we all face is that the devil has worked overtime in our lives to try to make Jesus a liar. So we masquerade, hoping somehow we will be supernaturally conformed to His image. It doesn't work that way!

We have to build a foundation, and that is being willing to love others as Christ loves us, no matter what. Faith doesn't work unless there is a foundation of love (Gal. 5:6). We can't get past the wounds the devil and the shame in our hearts have inflicted without learning to love others with God's love, even our enemies. Not human love which so easily turns to hate, but God's love (1 Cor. 13). This is who we were created to be! I'm still seeking God to help me finish the course!

So, should we have regret for all the ungodly things we have done or experienced in our lives? Protect your chin from dropping to the floor. No! The Apostle Paul said to count our trials and tribulations all joy! They should be opportunities to learn and grow in Christ. I am learning to be grateful for the good times, and even some of the bad! I'm still processing who I am, but all my trials and tribulations have helped me to know who God created me to be, and to begin to get free of shame. The fine tuning, so to speak, is focusing on Jesus, receiving revelation of what God has said, and putting what we learn into practice. 

Am I am free of the masquerades in my life? Yes and no! God has given me freedom in Christ Jesus. Am I trying to appropriate and practice it every day? I'm asking Jesus for daily revelation of His Word by the Holy Spirit. But the road to Calvary is long and difficult. Will we ever be totally free? Yes, either here on earth or in heaven by the Grace of Jesus Christ! While we are alive, we get to choose our way and exercise free will like God intended. I'm choosing eternal life now, and hereafter, in Jesus Christ. Actually, I'm choosing freedom from the great masquerade! What is your choice?

(For more information on how shame influences our lives, Tim Fletcher has a great series on YouTube.)

EYES WIDE SHUT?

The State of Things

In previous posts I've mentioned guidance I received from my participation in Dale Carnegie Courses some five decades ago: "Don't criticize, condemn or complain." Failing often, I have still tried to live by this rule. 

When I met Jesus as my Lord and Savior in 1987, it became clear to me that His walk on earth was guided by the principles He brought to the New Testament of the Holy Bible. I finally realized, however, that sometimes He did criticize, condemn and complain. He did not accept or tolerate lawlessness, whether it was manifested in His presence as sin in mankind or it was presented directly to Him from the devil! He did what He saw Father God doing and said what the Father said. His purpose was to draw people away from darkness into His light (understanding and ways). When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, He is the example for our lives, every aspect of our lives. There is no acceptable "half way!"

As my eyes were opened to this reality,, mainly what I began to see in the world is the increasing manifestation of lawlessness, in politics, government, business and religion, even in the church. David Wilkerson, former senior pastor of Times Square Church, spoke warnings about the coming lawlessness in America, and the deception the devil has brought with it, as early as the 1970s. Watching a few of his videos on YouTube, considering the state of our world today, we can quickly get revelation of The Truth.

So, this begs a question I pose for each of us, myself included. What is our responsibility for the lawlessness being perpetrated around us? Do we simply tolerate it, or do as the Bible says, "overcome evil with good?" Read on please.

What is Your Definition of Lawlessness?

I'm and old accountant/auditor. Professionally, this has led me to be very objective in decision-making. What do the rules say, in other words. Circumstances matter, but there is a bottom line, it is our personal ethics. Our ethics should consist primarily of our integrity and objectivity. Whether our personal ethics are guided by laws, workplace standards, a profession, acceptable cultural behavior, or personal judgment, the bottom line is the same. We are expected to meet basic standards of right and wrong, even when no one is watching!

However we demonstrate our ethics, people in our circles of influence will choose to accept or reject our influence. The choices are either choosing right or choosing wrong in each circumstance. No "half way."  You've probably heard the story. A person walks into a convenience store to buy a bottle of pure drinking water. He picks up a bottle and reads the ingredients that say, "99.44%t pure spring water; .56% sewage." Would he buy it/ Obviously not! Neither will God! 

In short, there isn't a common definition of good or evil. For some, it is the behaviors of a group or individual that we don't like. It may be one's opinion based on experience, upbringing, cultural or societal norms or status, spiritual background or lifestyle. Search the internet for definitions and you'll see as many as there are so-called authorities. 

We cannot afford to be deceived. Our eyes must be wide open. There is only one authority, it is God in the person of Jesus Christ. The truth is I fail every day! My body wants to sin and my mind and will want to help it. My only hope for any success is help from the Holy Spirit of God, when I let Him! I'm not berating myself, only recognizing the condition of human beings and recognizing that only the power and authority of the infinite God can direct us away from lawlessness. So, what is my definition of lawlessness? Simply, it is all things outside of God's will!

Criticism of Lawlessness

Remember, the Garden of Eden?  Lawlessness began there. From that beginning, the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 28, and the Book of Galatians, Chapter 5, present a frightening summary of mankind's lawless behaviors.  So, let me take a different approach and try to point out what isn't lawlessness.

Here are some definitions from Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828 Edition:

Ø  Ethics:  1. The doctrines of morality or social manners; the science of moral philosophy, which teaches men their duty and reasons for it.  2.  A system of moral principles; a system of rules for regulating the actions and manners of men in society.

Ø  Integrity:  The entire unimpaired state of anything, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty.  Integrity comprehends the whole moral character but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfers of property, and agencies for others.

Following guidance from these definitions would not be considered lawless thinking or behavior, in 1828 or today! Behaviors, practices or rules outside these definitions would likely be considered lawlessness by most of us. How do we apply these behaviors in today's world? 

Our Challenge

Here is a simple starting place. It is not to criticize, condemn or complain. I have no right to speak against the behavior of others, no matter how evil, unless I have brought my own behavior to the universal judge, the only triune God. Even when we meet God's terms for our behavior, we can only judge another's sin, not the sinner! 

Often, the things I see as lawlessness in other people is God's mirror reflecting some of the things that are in my own heart. My inclination, of course, is to reason such thought away by thinking the evil things in my heart are very small in relation to all the good I do or am! Ugh! No pride or arrogance here! One sin is not greater than another! The Bible says in the Book of Romans, "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." We all will be accountable!

So, what are we to do? Nothing? Judge as hypocrites? No! We've got to try to learn to live like Jesus and forsake the lawless ways of the world around us! If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in our hearts, we must trust God to complete the work He began in us! That old hymn was right! "Trust and obey for there is no other way!" Not even a half way! Help us God!

WHAT'S IN YOUR WALLET, ER, I MEAN YOUR HEART

 Some Facts and Definitions

THE HEARTMATH SOLUTION, CHILDRE AND MARTIN, HARPERSANFRANCISCO, PAGE 10: “In recent years, neuroscientists have made an exciting discovery. They’ve found that the heart has its own independent nervous system--a complex system referred to as “the brain in the heart.” There are at least forty-thousand neurons (nerve cells) in the heart--as many as are found in various subcortical centers in the brain. The heart’s intrinsic brain and nervous system relay information back to the brain in the cranium, creating a two-way communication system between heart and brain.

Detailed research and studies of the heart are included in this book and many others as well. Researchers have studied heart transplant recipients and found they often have dreams, nightmares and memories of their donors. One recipient even knew the name of the person that killed his heart donor!

Next, here are some spiritual definitions:

HEART (Nelson’s Bible Dictionary)

“The inner self that thinks, feels, and decides. In the Bible the word heart has a much broader meaning than it does to the modern mind. The heart is that which is central to man. Nearly all the references to the heart in the Bible refer to some aspect of human personality.

In the Bible all emotions are experienced by the heart: love and hate (Psalms 105:25; 1 Peter 1:22); joy and sorrow (Ecclesiastes 2:10; John 16:6); peace and bitterness (Ezekiel 27:31; Colossians 3:15); courage and fear (Genesis 42:28; Amos 2:16).

The thinking processes of man are said to be carried out by the heart. This intellectual activity corresponds to what would be called mind in English. Thus, the heart may think (Esther 6:6), understand (Job 38:36), imagine (Jeremiah 9:14), remember (Deuteronomy 4:9), be wise (Proverbs 2:10), and speak to itself (Deuteronomy 7:17). Decision-making is also carried out by the heart. Purpose (Acts 11:23), intention (Hebrews 4:12), and will (Ephesians 6:6) are all activities of the heart.

Finally, heart often means someone's true character or personality. Purity or evil (Jeremiah 3:17; Matthew 5:8), sincerity or hardness (Exodus 4:21; Colossians 3:22); and maturity or rebelliousness (Psalms 101:2; Jeremiah 5:23) - all these describe the heart or true character of individuals. God knows the heart of each person (1 Samuel 16:7). Since a person speaks and acts from his heart, he is to guard it well (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:18-19). The most important duty of man is to love God with the whole heart (Matthew 22:37). With the heart man believes in Christ and so experiences both love from God and the presence of Christ in his heart (Romans 5:5; 10:9-10; Ephesians 3:17).”

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Applications to Life

Back in the 1920s, Dale Carnegie wrote several books and launched a series of seminars at the New York City YMCA. Interestingly, the original books and seminars were based on Scripture from the Holy Bible. Later, Scripture references were deleted but the principles remained the reasons for the success of his books and seminars.

In one of those books, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, some of the key principles were summed up with the phrase, "don't criticize, condemn or complain." These principles and the rest of the book focused mainly on what is in one's heart, one's motives in other words. Applications of these principles were suggested as ways we can begin to redirect the inappropriate behavior of our soul man, i.e., change our mind, our will and our emotions.

Reality

Some of you reading this post have walked this road, myself included. If you are anything like me, you likely discovered that the harder we tried, the worse the inappropriate behavior became, at first. A pastor of a church I attended years ago taught a Bible study course called Becoming Who You Are, it's a book now I think. In the course and related sermons, he often posed the question, "If I am, why aren't I"?

The answer is simple. No amount of self-discipline, study of Scripture, following the suggestions in self-help books or the instructions of political or religious leaders can change the heart of men! Only God can!

I tried to get free of inappropriate things in my heart (sin, to be real), for over 30 years. Pastors and other religious leaders I consulted had similar answers like these: " Don't think about those things", "Don't go back there", "Pray these Scriptures" or "Just stop it." One counselor gave be a book to modify my behavior that contained a long list of every bad behavior in my life that I had to change. As some of us may have learned, positive results may have be achieved by performance in the short-term, but the old behaviors and habits of the soul man usually win out over the long haul.

Is There Any Hope?

I believe so! Our minds can be renewed by meditation on God's written word, illuminated to us by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27) ! A short time after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, an elderly pastor told me all I had to do as a Christian was "trust and obey." Like many so-called solutions to our problems and issues, we have to receive revelation of the truths before we can have faith to apply them to our lives. Even then, once we receive revelation, the problems often seem to worsen for at time!

I remember a poster we had on our wall years ago. It was a picture of a Raggedy-Andy doll being forced through the wringer on an old washer tub. It said this: "The Truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable!" Here is a truth. The devil doesn't want us to be free from the bondage he has helped us create through sin. The harder we work, so does he. Only believing the truth in our hearts will set us free. John 6:28-29: "Then they (the people following Jesus) said to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.'" This is how we receive Christ in our hearts. This is how we purify our hearts!

Only by believing in our hearts can we receive God's revelation and salvation, from the past, in the present and in the future. You've likely heard the saying, "Time heals all wounds." Like the patriarchs of Christianity, believing the promises of God will set us free, either in the Kingdom of God on the earth or in heaven! This is the only WAY! 

IF I'M A GOOD DOG, I GET A TREAT

 Our Good Dogs

Sarahdoodles is a black lab in her 14th year. Magnus is an 8 year old rat terrier. Sarahdoodles is passive aggressive. Magnus is a feral dog, but he gets away with it because he is cute!. Both are smart and run their "cons" all day long. Sarahdoodles is cautious, obedient and somewhat timid. Magnus will open drawers, doors and cages to get what he wants. Sarahdoodles would never bite a person or another dog unless attacked. Magnus will attack your feet if you accidentally step on him, your hand if you try to take back trash he has procured at midnight from the locked trash can. Both are, however, treat motivated, Sarahdoodles all the time and Magnus when he wants to be.

Our Dogs' Upbringing

No matter what our dogs do or don't do, the credit or the blame belongs to us humans. When they were puppies we gave them treats, for everything actually. Going outside to potty, responding to our commands, learning tricks and other good behaviors got rewards, usually food as treats. No wonder they are con artists! More treats!

My Upbringing

I don't know why I should be surprised when Sarahdoodles finds the upstairs door open and she comes to the downstairs door near my office for a treat. After all, going outside is grounds for a treat, right? The same with Magnus when at midnight he opens my office door, pulls the dog-proof trash can to the living room and opens it for any crumbs that he may find on the trash inside. They are they way they are trained to be. So are we by the way!

Many of us were raised with some combination of love, discipline, intimidation and fear from our parents. We were either good boys and girls or we were bad, depending on how we behaved. This became our identity. So, naturally, we often use our learned behavior traits with our dogs, our family members, our peers and others in our circle of influence.

Our Worldview is Shaped by Our Life Experiences

From our childhood, to our teenage years, to adulthood, we bring forward learning from life events, both good and bad. We use or mind and will to seek and get what we want, mostly guided by these life experiences. David Brooks, New York Times columnist and book author says it this way: "Our worldview is not of the world as it is, but as we are in it." The question is, should we look beyond our personal worldview?

From our life experiences and circumstances, our perceived identity, our opinions and our behaviors we mold the world we live in. Most of us don't change our core beliefs and behaviors unless some catastrophic event motivates us to change. Whether we admit it or not, many of us operate by the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" rule. We attack rather than change! We do what we've learned to do because it usually works, that is, until it doesn't!

We sometimes masquerade as nice, even religious, all the while scheming to get ahead. We appear as a team player until others block what we want the team to do. We judge others by their behaviors and expect others to judge us by our good intentions. We speak half-truths professing not to lie, or we just lie. Deep inside we hate other people that are different from who we believe we are. We love others only based on what we get from them! We believe that the end can be justified by the means, however horrible the means may be. Forgive me, but we all  have a little of these types of behavior hidden somewhere in our hearts, some of us more than others!

Are We All Supposed to be the Same?

Of course not! Our dogs are all different and so are we. We are all individuals, each with the potential to add something to the world. The Bible, in fact, documents God's plan for each of us to contribute to the well-being of others. But, instead of building others up, we often seek their destruction in defense of our fragile egos, whether justified or not. We plot against them, we criticize them, condemn them or complain about them using both our actions and our words. For some, we even have hatred in our hearts for them just because they don't agree with us.

What is Our Place in the World?

Our dogs' behaviors can be modified through love and training, but their breed and upbringing will always weigh heavily on their behavior and what they are. For us humans, thousands of books, pundits, business, religious and government leaders purport to show us the way. The Truth is, when we've tried it all, there is only one Way. That is God's Way, as directed by the Holy Spirit from Scripture in the Holy Bible. Sure, short-term success can come from nefarious or worldly ways. We often forget, however, that the life we are living now is but a microcosm of time that establishes our place for eternity. Either God's Way or the devil's way will get us to eternity! All or none! It's our choice, right now! 

Jesus was sent as our example of the way, the truth and the life God expects of us here on earth. We will be judged by His Way! Breaking news: God can't be conned!

THERE IS A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN

 The Source

As I suspect we all do, I occasionally fall back to my "era" and listen to the music of my times, folk songs mostly. This morning as I opened YouTube, a song by Judy Collins and Peter Seeger from the 1960s appeared. Oops, you weren't supposed to know my "era." The song was "Turn, Turn, Turn." The lyrics are from Ecclesiastes 3 in the Old Testament of the Bible. 

This Book was written by King Solomon, a king that had every thing under the sun! I've read it a couple of times and it is an often quoted Scripture reference. But to be honest, I've often thought King Solomon was hypocritical and cynical. He had hundreds of wives, concubines, horses and countless riches, some even in violation of God's instructions. Nevertheless, he asked for wisdom and got it, evidenced by writing this Book of the Bible and many of its Psalms. Paradoxical to say the least.

Anyway, as I began to listen to the song, my eyes filled with tears. God's truth does that to me sometimes. The problem was I couldn't figure out why, that is until I read Ecclesiastes 3. You may know verse one: "To everything there is a season. A time for every purpose under heaven."

The Application for Today

But wait. This is from the Old Testament (Covenant). The Book of Hebrews in the New Testament (Covenant) says the Old Covenant was fulfilled and replaced by Christ. Works were replaced by faith (trust in God) working through love, being like Jesus actually. So, how could the Book of Ecclesiastes have relevance now?

One of the reasons is in Acts 17:26-28 of the New Testament, which says that God has determined our pre-appointed times and boundaries of our dwellings so we can find Him. Not physically, of course, but spiritually. The old is still new! It is not so much about what we believe or don't believe, but about what God has said.

Is the Bible Really True?

In my life I have doubted it many times. A pastor took me to his church early in my life, and I attended youth groups in my high school years (there were cute girls there!)  But after that time I lived as I wanted to live, mostly to protect myself from others and find what I thought was success. Only when I had failed at most things of life, at age 45, did I begin to learn a little about what Jesus had done for mankind, maybe even for me! A couple of steps forward and one back has been the "modus operandi" since then.

The biggest problem I faced was that my analytical mind couldn't believe all the Scriptures. My experiences of life were mostly negative and I just couldn't believe what the Bible said was the truth for me. After all, wasn't the Bible just a collection of men's opinions? I didn't realize, however, many people have determined to prove the Bible was not true, and learned the contrary in the process. So, I mostly pretended to believe for years. Actually, I'm not sure I still don't pretend some days!

What Do We Do?

So, are there really times and purposes under Heaven? I've always looked forward to some times and purposes I thought God had for me, dreams I guess some would call them. The older I became, the more unlikely many of them became. In studying chapter 11 of the Book of Hebrews this morning, I realized I was not alone. This chapter is about the heroes of faith from the beginning of time. It is about what they did by faith. Near the end of the chapter, however, the writer talks of the suffering of early believers and that none of them, including the heroes of faith, experienced all the results of their faith (God's promises) here on earth! Their faith was the demonstration of their believing God to do what He promised, even when the promises weren't fulfilled! This is the challenge for me and you!

WHAT HAS GOD SAID? Do we really have a time and a purpose? He is infinite; we are the finite. The clay doesn't tell the potter how to shape it. Our work is to shut out the voices of the world and learn to trust His written Word. Then, and only then, can we expect the Holy Spirit to tell us what to do and where to go, when! First, we have to believe in Him!

WERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE?

The Song

Written by Pete Seeger and recorded first by the Kingston Trio and then by Peter, Paul and Mary, this was an anti-war song popular in the 1960's. This week I kept hearing the song title over and over in my head. I finally realized that, once again, we may stand on the brink of war, perhaps not as we have thought about war, but in reality around the world and possibly in our nation.

Yes, there is currently war in many countries globally, and this should concern us. If you've watched any of Ken Burn's series on the Civil War other World Wars presented on PBS, if you have studied these dark periods in our history or if you have fought in a war, you are aware of the horrors of war. What concerns me most right now  is the evolving civil war of words capturing our nation, bringing division and even death.

While civil wars have been fought in many countries through the years, we sometimes may regard them as unreal, non-events actually. They don't affect me so why should I be concerned? We may forget these are real people being killed and wounded, losing their livelihoods and their families. We may think that it couldn't happen to us! 

In our war of words, many of us have grown to regard people from other nations, cultures, or personal, political and religious backgrounds as different from us. Sometimes we even regard them as non-persons when we use our words to fight the battles, real or perceived. We call "them" names or refer to "them" in stereotypes. Not just individually, but by groups, classes and cultures. Actually, we hate with our words, without realizing or admitting our words come from what is in our hearts. 

Alert! Human love passed away a long time ago. God's love finds little place in many of us, much of the time! Myself included. Yet, Jesus Christ demonstrated His love for us when He died for all! God made Him to be our example! He will be the judge!

WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE? WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN?

(Lyrics from https://lyrics.lyricfind.com/)

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the flowers gone?
The girls have picked them every one.
Oh, When will you ever learn?
Oh, When will you ever learn?

Young girls
They've taken husbands every one.

Young men
They're all in uniform.

Soldiers
They've gone to graveyards every one.

Graveyards
They're covered with flowers every one.

Flowers
Young girls have picked them every one.

WHAT DOES AN AUTOCRACY LOOK LIKE?

The Definition

From the Dictionary of Oxford Languages:

• A country, state or society governed by one person with absolute power. (Use a Google search for more AI details)

Characteristics of an Autocracy

AI Overview:

"An autocracy is characterized by a single ruler or party holding absolute power, with decisions subject to no external legal restraints or popular control. Key features include centralized decision-making, suppression of opposition through force and propaganda, and the ruler being above the law. Autocracies often maintain power through a lack of political freedoms, limiting public participation and dissent to preserve the leader's authority. Examples of Autocratic Systems:

• Absolute Monarchies: Hereditary rulers with supreme power, such as historical kings and emperors.
• Dictatorships: Systems where a single person has absolute power, often obtained through force or illegitimate means.
• Totalitarian Regimes: A more extreme form that attempts to control all aspects of individuals' lives, not just political rule."

Effects of an Autocracy

AI Overview:

"An autocracy, a system of government where one person holds absolute power, is associated with significant negative effects on a nation's economy, society, and political landscape. However, some short-term advantages, particularly in times of crisis, can occur.

Economic effects

Autocracies typically have a detrimental effect on a country's long-term economic health and lead to less prosperity for the general population.

Social effects

The social effects of autocracy include reduced civil liberties, increased division, and long-term erosion of public trust.

Political effects

Politically, autocracies undermine democratic institutions and use repression to consolidate power."

How Does an Autocracy Gain Control?

When many of us think about autocracies, we think about Stalin, Hitler, Castro or other examples around the world in history, or even today. We usually envision a culture of a dictatorship and government control, economic depression, violence or often food shortages, even famine. Building autocracies has taken decades, or even centuries in some cases. In most all cases, the autocracies develop like the pot of water for the frog that was initially placed in cold water, which eventually reaches a boil that brings its death. 

What are the Characteristics of an Autocrat? 

AI Overview:

"An autocrat is characterized by absolute, centralized decision-making power, relying solely on their own judgment with little to no input from others. They maintain strict control through clear directives, a rigid and hierarchical structure, and minimal delegation, expecting obedience and suppressing dissent. While this approach allows for quick decisions and can improve productivity in specific situations, it often leads to poor employee morale, stifles creativity , and limits individual autonomy."

AS ONE FROG TO ANOTHER......