The Ministry had promised that there would be broad and sweeping changes, but no one expected the radical changes in the direction that they had chosen. After the great war of 2065 the United Nations had been dissolved, as well as most forms autonomous government. The formal religious establishments were forced to move primarily underground and the notion of corporations had been dissolved in place of cooperative trusts.
There were some that still remembered the great experiment of democracy and personal freedoms. However, there was no underground, no one to proclaim that this new form of social reform was communism, just draped in a new name… a new color.
This is not their story. This is the wholly unremarkable story of a single creative mind that dared to have an original thought. This story… begins with a marker and a poster board.
The Ministry had promised peace through similarity. One global grocery store – Walmart. The only toothpaste, Crest. The only jobs were those in support of the ministry, which owned everything. With everyone on equal footing the theory was that there would be no envy or no hatred because as a planet there was one motto – “We are one!”
The concept of “Every man is a minister” was taught at an early age. Individual identity has been lost in an understanding that every man was his brothers keeper. Altruism has replaced the gluttony of excess that was embraced nearly 100 years earlier.
Despite the indoctrination by The Ministry since birth, Jared still had questions. An uneasy feeling had settled in the pit of his stomach. He never dared voice his opinions because it had never been done before. But today as different. He could not contain himself any longer.
Jared’s hand was trembling as he uncapped the marker. He chuckled to himself as the scent of the marker wafted towards his nostrils, “Is this what independence smells like?.” Steadying his hand he began to write the thought that had been burning in him since from the time that they were originally taught the Ministry creed: “We are one body, joined together, hands, eyes, fingers and feet. We all work together to make the Ministries heart beat.”
“I stand alone.”
The words were simple. But true. With fear in his heart, Jared walked to the city square, unfolded his banner and waved it above his head.
There were some that still remembered the great experiment of democracy and personal freedoms. However, there was no underground, no one to proclaim that this new form of social reform was communism, just draped in a new name… a new color.
This is not their story. This is the wholly unremarkable story of a single creative mind that dared to have an original thought. This story… begins with a marker and a poster board.
The Ministry had promised peace through similarity. One global grocery store – Walmart. The only toothpaste, Crest. The only jobs were those in support of the ministry, which owned everything. With everyone on equal footing the theory was that there would be no envy or no hatred because as a planet there was one motto – “We are one!”
The concept of “Every man is a minister” was taught at an early age. Individual identity has been lost in an understanding that every man was his brothers keeper. Altruism has replaced the gluttony of excess that was embraced nearly 100 years earlier.
Despite the indoctrination by The Ministry since birth, Jared still had questions. An uneasy feeling had settled in the pit of his stomach. He never dared voice his opinions because it had never been done before. But today as different. He could not contain himself any longer.
Jared’s hand was trembling as he uncapped the marker. He chuckled to himself as the scent of the marker wafted towards his nostrils, “Is this what independence smells like?.” Steadying his hand he began to write the thought that had been burning in him since from the time that they were originally taught the Ministry creed: “We are one body, joined together, hands, eyes, fingers and feet. We all work together to make the Ministries heart beat.”
“I stand alone.”
The words were simple. But true. With fear in his heart, Jared walked to the city square, unfolded his banner and waved it above his head.
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