Depending on Folly

July 13th, 2012

Here’s another from our Ecclesiastical Sage: I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.*

Well, Duhhh….

Did it take the wisest man in the world to come up with that?
Light’s better than dark. Pretty black and white.
It hardly needs saying.

Then again, there’s quite a bit of evidence that we don’t all see it that way. In fact, it seems a lot of our society–and economy–is dependent on folly. Maybe we need folly in order to keep certain occupations and even whole systems in place.

I’ve been in areas of the world where night watchmen are kept busy patrolling all neighborhoods. They say a third of the population is hired by a third of the population to protect itself from a third of the population.

I suppose it steadies the economy, providing occupation for all.

Without a little folly, what, for example, would newspapers have to talk about?
And what would the courts do?
Or the police?
Or personal body guards?
Or the military?
Or the whole penal system?
Or lawmakers?
Parole officers?
Drug dealers?
Late night revelers?
All manner of counselors?
Psychiatrists?
Ambulance drivers?
Pawn brokers?
Lawyers?
Pimps?
Pornographers?
Prostitutes?
Arbitrators?
Bailiffs?
Bouncers?
Bill collectors?
Strippers?
Gaming dealers?
Palm readers?

Unfortunately, the list could go on and on.

And let’s not forget about half the writers and artists.

(Of whom I am one.)

 

 

__________________
*Ecclesiastes 2:13

Next: A Critique of Moi? Coming Monday.

7 Comments

  1. carmen Jul 13, 2012
    8:08 pm

    I never thought of this before, but if you think about it, unfortunately folly is good for the economy.

  2. Carolyn Jul 13, 2012
    8:52 pm

    I looked over the list to find myself in there somewhere.

    Aside from pimps,Pornographers,Prostitutes,Strippers and Palm readers…

    the rest of us are an expression of God’s common grace to others who haven’t seen it yet.

  3. Sharon Rose Jul 13, 2012
    9:20 pm

    After reading this, I immediately think of the story from the Bible about the Battle of Jericho, and the prostitute Rahab.. from the book of Joshua..

  4. Lisa Jul 14, 2012
    8:01 am

    Interesting Hyatt! It makes me feel you are saying if is necessary to have good and bad, wisdom and folly in our world to maintain some weird sort of balance. Then to ask yourself, which side do I personally want to be associated with, choose to be on, ask the Lord to help me be on, or encourage others to be on. Thank you again for such wisdom! :) Lisa

  5. jcl Jul 14, 2012
    1:09 pm

    Great!

  6. Norm Huie Jul 14, 2012
    5:22 pm

    It’s like there’s a folly-magnetism in the air. We all tend to stray toward it if we’re not actively confronting it. Just look at Paul’s description of God’s armor in Ephesians 6, each piece protecting a critical part of the heart, mind, and soul. According to Scriptiure, we live in a world at war, forces both seen and unseen, pulling us in folly’s direction. Good wake-up call, Hyatt!

  7. JoAnn Cokas Jul 15, 2012
    7:57 pm

    Oh Hyatt……….what a blessing you are. I LOVE YOUR WORDS SO MUCH.
    You do get right to the heart of things…………
    Think of you so often…..Love to Anne.