THE ENIGMA OF ACCEPTANCE

Freedom and Equality are not simple concepts. Each one inherently is surrounded by a gray area of interpretation.

Freedom poses interesting challenges. If two people are equally free, but the desires of one infringe on the desires of the other, which person’s freedom prevails? If one of them must forego what they consider reasonable rights to protect the rights of other is that person truly free?

Equality can also be a challenging concept. If one subjugates their desires in order to avoid infringing upon another, are the two individuals considered equal? Depending on which side you’re on, you might well say “no.”

This conflict is very prevalent in modern society. It often extends beyond individuals and into groups. How can all people in a society be free and equal, if at some point it is inevitable that one person or group is potentially harmed by another?  

The answer to this dilemma is acceptance. Each person or group must accept the fact that at some point their desires may have to take a back seat to someone else’s. This might seem unfair on its surface, but it is usually mitigated by the rule of law. Acceptance doesn’t have to mean tolerance.  

When the laws that have been agreed upon in a society through democratic legislation are just, these instances of “acceptance” should even out over time. That way no one individual or group is “burdened” with this acceptance more often than another.

However, if this burden is significantly uneven, it can become a spark for civil unrest and a call for change. There are many examples of this in the United States today with its politically divided population. Many people and groups today feel that the level of acceptance they must agree to, or endure, is not only intolerable but also unacceptable. 

Acceptance is a prominent theme in the fourth and concluding book of the Venerable Series, “VIGILANT: The Enigma of Acceptance." The future society that is the setting for the Series faces similar, and perhaps even more extreme, challenges. How these are dealt with within the rule of law, and sometimes outside of it, are perhaps considerations for our time. Controversial or not, “VIGILANT: The Enigma of Acceptance” at the very least generates food for thought.