Occulting Aesop

The Bald Man And The Fly by Aesop

A FLY bit the bare head of a Bald Man who, endeavoring to destroy it, gave himself a heavy slap. Escaping, the Fly said mockingly, "You who have wished to revenge, even with death, the Prick of a tiny insect, see what you have done to yourself to add insult to injury?' The Bald Man replied, "I can easily make peace with myself, because I know there was no intention to hurt. But you, an ill-favored and contemptible insect who delights in sucking human blood, I wish that I could have killed you even if I had incurred a heavier penalty."

America and Dissent

America, certainly the bald man, has given itself a heavy slap in the swatting of Afghanistan, in the invasion of Iraq, in the neglect of New Orleans, and in its disastrous foreign policy. Instead of destroying terrorism, or undermining dissent, or restoring faith in America - thus striking fear into the heart of the fly who represents any dissenting party to US policy - the spectre of terror has only shifted escaping to touch down on the America yet again. It is they who dissent –- Hezbollah, hackers, Al-Qaeda, artists, Palestinans, and peace-mongers –- that bellow in the direction of America, “You who have wished to revenge, even with death, the Prick of a tiny insect [!]” What is the impact of any violation against the belligerent machine that is the World? Naught can derail this machine and, certainly, there are few that guide its conduct. And, certainly, the many of us reside within it. The unfortunate mass, for the most part, are cast out -- clinging to it for life. Some tiny niches remain; wherein, a lucky few reside.

Bald America’s reply, with awesome ferocity: “I can easily make peace with myself [.]” Peace within is the imposed guideline. There is naught but internal harmony, harmony among those who are accepted; thus, only people that have accepted America and are accepted by America can live in peace. Further, “because I know there was no intention to hurt.” Does America, or any dominion, not intend the harm it irresponsibly and inevitably causes? Does America swat so ferociously because it realizes it chases only the irritation, not the root cause within? America is irritated because they cannot accept what they cannot understand. America is irritated by difference.

Still further, “[b]ut you, an ill-favored and contemptible insect who delights in sucking human blood,” can refer to the bloodletting of terrorist attacks and of economic and resource diversions. The bald man rails against anything taken from him like a spoiled child. The problem is that the bald man does not realize the extremity to which there is imbalance. To have a fly suck a little blood is nothing in comparison to the utter destruction of the fly, should he – the bald man – connect with accuracy. Certainly, the fabled bald man does not seek little bloodletting from the fly. Nor will he suck the blood of his quarry in return; there can be no reaction that is in parity with the incident act. He seeks the obliteration of an annoyance. Furthermore, the bald man makes many vice-laden distinctions; the fly is “ill-favored,” unlike man who is favored; “contemptible,” unlike the man who is without contempt; “an… insect,” therefore worthy of destruction; “delights in” what man finds inconceivable, “sucking human blood” – though, as proven by his action, bloodshed in response is acceptable.

The fly can be naught but a fly; its nature is fixed at birth. Man, however, is capable of thought otherwise. There are those men who would not injure a fly, regarding its life as valuable as that of man himself. Acting as such is more of a bother, less convenient, and requires much more understanding. The fact remains that the only species that kills insects without eating them is Homo sapiens. Some humans delight in bloodletting. The relationship between those above and those below the force of the swat are rarely any different, especially where humans kill one another. It is their methods that differ.

It is this that is the key difference: “I wish that I could have killed you even if I had incurred a heavier penalty [italics added]." The belligerence and self-righteousness of the bald man must be tempered. The heavier penalty is being incurred in megadeaths, even now, in Iraq. The heavier penalty is being incurred in parts per million, even now, in environmental devastation. The heavier penalty is being levied in social irresponsibility, even now, in New Orleans. The heavier penalty is being incurred on a reputation abroad, even now, at the UN, within the EU, and in the nations of the Middle East and Asia. It is also being incurred against the developing nations of the world. Wherever flies “an insect,” the man that would slap himself to destroy this quarry, saying “I wish that I could have killed you even if I had incurred a heavier penalty [italics added]" is engaged in dangerous enterprise; both belligerent and, in the end, self-destructive.