Prelude

Halcyon days? Was there ever such a period in history, and when was it? Every age had it’s own peculiar fretful problems and dangers according to history. How much dare I trust historical accounts? Never mind trusting published narratives, the panorama covered by history is too vast and poor in every day detail. It’s nearly useless for my purpose. The tales of grand deeds by great men even if accurate, offer no insights into the ordinary lives of the average Joe. An accurate history is impossible to verify if it does exist, so forget halcyon days in the past. If they once existed, we’ll never read a believable word about them.

Decide to toss out history, got to toss out all the politics with it. Philosophy too, because it’s the root of politics, and since every point of both is a vicious snarl of conflicting opinions impossible to unravel, must chuck the lot. What’s left? Square one. Go to that. Where is it?

I’m doing my research for myself, not to benefit the world. What has the world ever done for me? The planet is home, of course, but I didn’t mean the planet, I refer to the world of mankind, society or ies. Civilization? What’s it done for me? Provided technology. Opportunity? You have to search out, hunt down, and seize opportunity, beating the other guy to it. Opportunities are not provided for free. It’s a free-for-all Melee! Dog eat dog out there!

So where is square one for the little guy, like me. Where is GO? Where do I get my start up cash and my turn to roll the dice and advance along the road? What kind of game is this, when I have to start with nothing, from nowhere, and can’t see the path, nor the choices in front of me? Draw a card? The deck is stacked and apparently, the dealing is done. I already hold all the cards I was dealt.

Internally, I am my hand. I got only me, and I am what I am, nothing more. A busted flush. Some of my parts don’t play well with my other parts. My only option is to bluff. Pretend to know what I’m doing. Intimidate other players into believing I have a power hand.

What kind of game is it? A pot limit, pot luck game. There’s few winners and mostly losers. I’m sitting out. I don’t like this loser’s game, with the stacked deck and the house always getting it’s percentage, whittling every player’s pile down. This is a zero sum game! A finite pie not big enough for all and you have to fight for crumbs. There has to be a better game somewhere else. Somewhere the sky’s the limit and the pie is always getting bigger and richer.

Where’s the action? I want a piece of the action in the greater than zero sum fairer game. If it doesn’t exist, maybe I can create it. Invite a few disenfranchised players like myself together, come up with some rules for fair play, ante up the pot, and start our own game. Discreetly. We don’t want to be raided. The house has the police and courts in their pocket. We have to be undercover. Like kids with a flashlight, playing under a blanket tented on their bowed heads.

Where is square one, the GO?

I’ve been told sometimes, old boats can be had just for hauling away.

Buying a boat big enough to live on is beyond my means. Even the cost of hauling one away is beyond my meager immediate resources. What I need is manpower. Brainpower I got. I have too many ideas.

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