The Question You Haven’t Asked
When the devil gives his State of the Union address, will you attend?
When the devil (the one you warned was coming) finally arrives, will you attend his inauguration? When the devil gives his State of the Union address, will you pick out your clothes the night before? Will you wear business casual or your Sunday best? Will you get your hair cut or done that week to show up presentable? Will you fill your gas tank the night before? It’s going to be a long day.
When the devil gives his speech, will you wake up early, take your shower, brush your teeth, and make sure to be on time? When you file in, will you be disorderly, or will you sit dutifully with your hands crossed in your lap? When you arrive, will you take your seat quietly as the devil’s imps cheer and applaud? When the devil rebukes you from his raised podium, towering above your gaze, will you make sure not to be rude and interrupt?
As you sit in silence, is it that your anger is a secret? If you sit politely instead of standing, is that resistance or acquiescence? If you refuse to clap, are you being disruptive or complicit? If you maintain decorum, is that defiance or obedience? When the devil seizes your state and there is no longer a union, is conducting business as usual an act of preserving democracy, or surrendering it? How should your cooperation be seen?
This post is part of the series:
The Question You Haven’t Asked
Something to think about, and answer in the privacy and protection of self-reflection.
The purpose of these questions is not necessarily to change your mind, though that may happen, but to enrich, broaden, and complicate your current thinking. If it leads to new understanding or even shifts your position entirely, that’s progress. Keep reflecting, and continue to examine even your own conclusions or decisions.