Being Meek

If the meek shall inherit the earth, being meek is probably a good strategy.

I've already suggested that being meek likely means to be disciplined and agile. That's not as far off from today's meaning of the word as it may seem. Meek is today humble and submissive. But that's precisely how we must act in face of superior force. The appearance of conformity is central to success, and this requires us to be disciplined and agile.

Direct confrontation is suicide. No matter how strong we are, there's always someone stronger that can take us out. However, the meek escape scrutiny by keeping a low profile. That allows them to maintain sustained resistance. The network effect can be used to spread the word and build community. Little by little, the enemy wears itself out. Nature takes its toll as we each inflict a thousand cuts trough noncompliance and evasion.

This insight is not exclusive to Christianity. The Tao recommends this same strategy. We blend in. We don't make a big deal of anything. We don't start a movement. We go about our business as best we can, and we look for ways that Nature can help us. We avoid the state as much as possible. We look for sustainable ways to resist, and we lead by example. If we each win over a handful of people, we'll win, and there will be no central point of failure that can be taken out by our enemies.

The meek understand that no single person needs to do all the work or thinking. Everyone can do their part simply by following the golden rule. No further coordination is required.

This requires trust in the network. There has to be faith. There also have to be some fun. It's not like we're going to see the end of tyranny any time soon, so we better make the most of the freedom we have, and enjoy the ride for what it is.

Liberty