Theory Thursdays: We Own the Rain and We Own You

Because I am a Cult Leader, and a False Prophet, a Conspiracy Nut and wearer of tinfoil underwear, I follow Prepper news sites. And the prepper sites are tremendously concerned about laws regarding the saving of rainwater.

http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/rainwater-harvesting.aspx

As the above link demonstrates, a number of American States restrict Rainwater Collection. This is done for various reasons which could be debated. I have no intention of doing this. I have no interest in this debate. Such consideration may be necessary for large governmental organizations claiming ownership (implicitly) of a citizenship, and thus feeling obligated to manage conditions within the land to which they lay claim.

I'm not looking at this from the point of view of a bureaucracy managing a resource to be shared between hundreds of thousands or millions of citizens. And while I'm not telling you to break any local laws, I am stopping to wonder at laws which make self-sufficiency difficulty and/or impossible to achieve legally.

What message is being sent here?

We will take care of you. You are our responsibility. We know better.

And implicitly also this: we own you.

Going back to the Second Song of the Song of Seven: Be Free, and we see that the requirement to take you life into your own hands and the requirement to defend one's ability to walk away anticipate the the verses of the Third Song. The second verse of the Third Song is especially relevant here. Learn to be self-sufficient.

Because if you can't do that, then you are at the mercy of those who can do that for you. Every parent has discovered those power shifts, when a child obtains a driver's license or gets a part time job that provides spending money. Suddenly the child no longer has to rely upon things which previously only the parent could provide. And this shifts results in a loss of raw power for the parent. If the relationship is not one built upon respect, the parent may not like the sudden change that accompanies the increased abilities and freedom which their children has obtained. The parent can, of course, pass new rules as long as they remain the child's legal guardian. They may ground the child, or forbid the purchase of anything over a certain price tag. And so may governmental organizations forbid things which a self-sufficient individual is able to do.

But once one is able, then compliance is a choice. For the would be tyrant or abusive parent it is far easier to prevent the child or the citizen from becoming able in the first place.

Become able.

The alternative is to remain a child forever.

Life is Short.
Work is Crap.
Join my Cult.