Subj : World of Pogo
To   : LEE LOFASO
From : RICHARD M. MEIC
Date : Tue Jul 17 2001 11:39 am

-> Hello Richard,
-> 
-> <cropped>
-> 
-> >LL>INDIVIDUAL: "We have met the enemy and he is us."
-> >
-> >RMM>"I have met the enemy and he is me."
[...]
-> The first step of discernment should be "What is the author's intention?

I assumed that one was already answered.  Am I moving ahead too soon?

-> It would be extremely weird for one to look at his own self as being
-> entirely responsible for all the evils in the world, unless he/she is
-> the Devil Incarnate.  And I do not believe that many people look at
-> themselves as being the Devil. :)

What if I am the Devil incarnate?  }:{)>

-> The statement you made argues that there is no problem since the
-> problem is "under control".  And if the problem is "under control"
-> there is no enemy.

No... having a problem under control does not negate the problem or the 
enemy.  The problem is not solved, but merely under control.

-> >LL>ROLE: Recognition of the enemy as ourselves being the psychological
-> >  >foundation for balanced and adequate progress towards creating a
-> >  >free, peaceful and fulfilling personal life.
-> >
-> >RMM>"We are the enemy."
-> >
-> >LL>And who is that enemy?
->
-> I say.  My own creation, "Eliza" is very beautiful.  :)]

You are a very lonely man aren't you.  ;o)
 
-> -> Two people in a world of six billion?  

I would not say that as such... however two people can cause alot of 
damage.  So two people can be a subset of the whole.

-> -> Or the total population as a whole?  
-> -> Is it only a handful of people, or many?

Not really the total population either.  There are H/G (hunter/gatherer) 
tribes on Earth that are not members of the enemy.  I think we can't help 
but include a lot of inocents in our large group that constitutes the 
Enemy when we view that enemy as a collective.  This is why I feel the 
Enemy should be viewed as both collective and individuals making up a 
group at the same time.  I think this comes very close to the author's 
intent with that particular scene.

-> -> What is the psychological foundation?

There are three states; part of the problem, part of the solution, and 
part of the victim.

Generalizations are unavoidable, so as a species we are the enemy.  As a 
collective we are the problem, the solution and the victim.  

As individuals we can also be the problem, the solution and the victim.  

Both as a collective and as individuals we play all three roles.  We are 
the ones throwing the garbage in the swamp, trying to clean up the swamp 
and suffering the result of losing the swamp.  As an individual I am the 
one throwing the occational peice of garbage on the street, I am also the 
one who most often hunts down a garbage can to dispose of the trash and I 
am also the one disgusted at the sight of piles of garbage litering the 
streets and parks.

To restate in brief:
It matters not weather one views the strip as an individual or as a member 
of a collective, we/I are the problem the solution and the victim, all 
rolled up into one.

Quite a unique position for us, don't you think?
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