The Apple Tree...

[Alex]

Imagine a small tropical island with a couple of trees on it. One tree is a gargantuan Apple Tree that produces enough apples to feed the villagers that inhabit the island all year round.

This gigantic tree has a slight quirk to it...all the lower branches have broken off due to various villagers climbing the tree to get to the apples.

The gigantic tree continues to grow, only now the villagers can no longer reach the apples.

The villagers continue to survive by simple eating the fallen apples off of the tree, if necessary, they throw rocks at the apple tree to knock a few apples off.

Since the tree keeps getting bigger, the amount of fallen apples keeps the villagers supplied with an amount of apples that ensures their survival.

One day, a villager sees a tall ship sailing by, and flags the ship down to say hello. The ship, named the SS United, stops and witness the villagers Apple Tree "predicament".

The SS United offers a trade. If they are given access to the tree, they will supply a ladder and crew so that the apple tree can be properly harvested on a year round basis.

The villager agrees, but will need to convince the tribal council. The SS United meets with the tribal council and works out a deal.

The Villagers will get the same amount of apples as before, only they will be the freshest and best apples from the tree, rather then the bug infested apples that have hit the ground.

In exchange, the SS United gets to place it's ladders under the tree, and pick the remaining apples in a timely manner so that the tree can continue to grow and provide apples the year round.

Capitalism at its best.

But wait, some of the villagers wanted no intervention. Those who were against outside intervention see how many more apples the SS United is keeping for itself. Even though the villagers are getting an equivalent amount of apples as before, and the best possible ones, they see the ladders the SS United is using enables it to get 10 times the apples then the amount they are giving to the villagers.

This upsets some of the villagers, the villagers who had always been against SS United's intervention onto their land.

The upset villagers are a minority, but they are a vocal minority. They begin to point out how inequitable this "deal" was.

The vocal minority argues that they will only be able to maintain what they have, while the tree grows bigger and bigger and the S.S. United continues to harvest more and more apples.

One day a nearby tree falls over, and the disgruntled group figures out a way to make a rough but useable ladder from the fallen tree.

They demand access to the apple tree so that they can harvest their own apples. They incite the other villagers by pointing out that it was inevitable that the other tree would fall, and that they would have figured out a way to use it to better harvest the apple tree.

All the SS United has really done is "trick them into accepting a situation that can never get any better", they argue.

The person who originally waived down the SS United and invited them onto their island is worried for their own safety. If the vocal minority is not thwarted, they could lose their life when all they have done is provide a safe, continuous supply of the best Apples the tree had to offer. The frightened villager asks the SS United what to do.

The benevolent SS United warmly regards their friend and gives the friend and the Tribal Council some "amenities" as a way of saying thank you for being such excellent hosts.

The SS United further reminds the Tribal Council that a deal is a deal, many count on the apples from the tree, and that the ladders and the SS United's help have brought much stability and a better quality of food to their way of life. The SS United gives the friend and the tribal council "weapons" to protect themselves from those who are trying to incite the villagers against the Tribal Council and the SS United.

The rest is history.

-Alex



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[La Luna Unita]

Interesting allegory.

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May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose

[Alex]

Thank you for the feedback!

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[soulfilms]

did you make it up yourself...?


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PostModern Pollution

[Alex]

Yes, it just popped into my head. Why do you ask?

P.S. (A response to a critic) the apples are of the seedless variety!

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[SHATOUSHKA]

a deal is a deal. period.

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~~share some greased tea with me~~
General Philosophy
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The Acropolis

[soulfilms]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Alex:
Yes, it just popped into my head. Why do you ask?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


It sounds very well thought out to just have 'popped into the head'. highly original!


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PostModern Pollution

[Alex]

Thank you, I think looming afterlife souls plopped it into my head.

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[This message has been edited by Alex (edited March 28, 2002).]

[SHATOUSHKA]

eh?

[Alex]

Perhaps I had unknown help.