The whole modern human society is based on one single basic mistake: that a man shall have only one home that he owns.
Therefore he shall protect his home, use and abuse it, and no one can enter it; thus he has to endure it if the winter is chilly or the summer too hot; thus comes that he shall expand it further; thus he shall buy, conquer, steal and hoard items and treasures, and keep them for himself; thus comes that upon his death his sons must bring forth this task.
Are swallows so foolish, after all?
Hail, Munin
2 comments:
Is not about the modern society or whatever. The need for a home is a inner root inside the men's soul. Lots of animals have their nest, their hives, their trees, their territory. Some of them always live there, some reuse it every year after the migrations. Men traveled only to avoid the cold or the starvation, but they always built up villages and cities. The travel is tough and dangerous, for the spirit and limbs. Always. Things are not changing just because we have airplanes, hotel rooms or tourist info centers.
The wolf defends the territory, the woodpecker defends its nest and the bee sacrifices its life for the hive. Humans always defended their place from other humans or animals, from floods and rain. You cannot avoid that, as you are a man. At a certain point of your path the wonders of the world you can see by travelling are not enough when compared to the wonders of your soul, and the wonders of love. At a certain point your body claims rest. At a certain point your life claims the fullfillment for its scope. You can't escape that and be serene at the same time. You won't be serene either way, but this is another story.
World won't ever be yours, as your homeland doesn't. Property is an illusion. But that's the reason why we know wars, defense walls, property certificates. Fighting for expansion, conquer, keeping for yourself is nothing but an animal instinct. What makes us horrible is that we have bigger weapons than a bear knows, artificial rules for our hives that an ant can't create.
I don't believe in Saint Francesco ideals: birds fight, they are not fed by gods, swallows only escape from adverse climate condition, every year (they're homeless, not free), happiness in not in a rice grain, nor in a chest of gold. Happiness is in the people that sorrounds you.
You must understand though that happiness is but a breath of happiness that lasts for a moment and vanish away. Happiness is not forever as we are not.
Sincerely Huginn
I don't know if I'm going to make any sense. I'm feverish and can't really concentrate, but here we go.
In the end I must partially agree with Leo on this one. It is a natural instinct for nearly all men to seek a place they could call home. Still there are those who either haven't found it yet or won't even bother searching. There are "freaks of nature" who refuse to settle down. As for me, currently I don't have anywhere to call home and I'm content as it is.
A strong argument for the natural instinct is that even though hunting and gathering could've been seen as a more secure way for a man to fulfill his needs, we still decided to start the unsure process of cultivating land. I do believe that this has got something to do with the need for the feeling of being safe. Once you build a house it creates (at least an illusion of) safety. That house is yours to defend and you are safe from the weather and the beasts. Reproduction is easier as a "migrating mom" could carry only one infant at a time and there was always the trouble of the kids getting lost or eaten. Anyway we had the chance to choose and we chose settling down. Then we discovered how nice it is to own and got greedy. Still there are some in whose blood the hunter and gatherer still lives.
I don't believe in absolute truths when it comes to matters of soul (and private property). Each to their own. Gladly modern conditions give the lucky ones the possibbility to choose. Maybe with age I will find my home too, who knows. At the moment I'm not sure if I want to. I just don't think anyone should be bound to their ancesters eternally against one's will. I believe true happiness somehow relates to the individual's freedom of choice. If you are too much in love with what you own, I believe it hinders your personal growth and if you don't know who you are, how could you know what really makes you happy?
Lots of love for both of you (maybe slightly more for Muninn :P),
Henna
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