Arjuna | Recently elected leader of the nation, Dilemma |
Creon | Leader of the nation, Polis |
Mencius | Barber and counselor to Arjuna and Creon |
Anonymous[1] | 99% of humanity |
[1] 21st century Chorus.
SETTING
The year 2011 AD in Mencius Barber Shoppe. Arjuna is in need of a haircut while Creon is in need of a shave.
Arjuna is trying to sit still while Mencius is tending to his hair needs.
Arjuna | Woe, my dear friend and barber, Mencius – I am so confused! I don’t know what to do. Oh, just a one-inch trim all around, please. |
Mencius | Right, boss. One-inch off all around. What is the matter, Arjuna? Spill your woes to me. |
Arjuna | Kauravas, my defeated election opponent and my dearest cousin is crying foul, claiming election fraud and that he is the rightful ruler of Dilemma. He is as we are speaking, plotting a war and an assassination attempt on me with other members of our family – his own flesh and blood! How can I summon opposing family members and battle my own kin whom I have played with, learned with and from and grown up with? |
Mencius | You must do your duties to your family but you must also think with your Heart, to think morally. Treat members of your family with respect in accordance to their age and hierarchy. Extend this philosophy to your community, to your nation, to all others around you and feel the domino effect of the love around you (11). |
Arjuna | But Krishna, my military advisor tells me that it is my duty to fight against Kauravas. It is my dharmic duty to fight as a warrior. I am to instill self-discipline and to carry out my warrior duties. Death, passions and emotions are temporal. “Try to see the bigger picture”, Krishna counsels me. Oh Mencius, easier said than done. One minute I think Krishna is right, the next minute, I think, no, something doesn’t sit well with me. My gut is wrenched! |
Mencius | You have spoken of very clear somatic signs of a thinking heart, my dear Arjuna. You are aware and thinking about the suffering that would befall you, loved ones and numerous others if you battle Kauravas. You have the heart of compassion and benevolence, of shame and duty. Are you questioning your heart of right and wrong, or wisdom? (38) What is the right or wrong action – are you looking for answers from me? |
Anonymous | The both of you talk about duty. Is duty used interchangeably with obedience or are we talking about moral duty here? We all have a moral duty to each other, to humanity. This is our greatest duty. Yes, we must attend to duties to our parents, teachers and even nature. But we must never forget our duty to humanity! This duty outweighs our obedience or duty to any one leader or loved one! All this killing on both sides – for what? So either you or your cousin can feel powerful and exert authority over others?! Think about it! |
Mencius | Follow the Way, follow your Thinking Heart. Do what comes naturally. You have duties to various peoples. We all do. You ought to do your duties to loved ones. Remember that you also have a duty to yourself. Look into the mirror. Look inward for your necessary course of actions (85). Do not underestimate the transformative power of duties of virtue and benevolence. Oh and hold still, will you? Or I might accidentally take out an ear! |
Arjuna | My gut is wrenched and it is difficult to hold still, dear friend but I shall try a little harder. What good can come from me killing my kin, with interfamilial violence? So I can hold on to the title of Dilemma’s leader? Is this worth the pain and suffering? Does my universal and dharmic duty as a warrior superceed my duty as cousin, brother, nephew and uncle to my kin as Krishna counsels? |
Mencius | Interfamilial violence is cyclical. If you kill Kauravas, someone will avenge him and someone else will avenge the avenger and so on. The killing will never end (158-159). |
Arjuna | So what should I do? Krishna tells me that renunciation of action is worse than action (59). I am so confused. My soul is tormented. |
Anonymous | Do your duty to humanity! Duty to humanity means avoiding killing and conflict whenever possible. Krishna’s counsel is meant as a way to cope with the dilemma of ‘to battle Kauravas or not’. If you fight as Krishna counsels you to, his rationale, in theory, absolves you from any wrongdoing. You must do what you were in a sense destined to do. This thinking is fundamentally flawed. You must think of your universal brothers and sisters, not just your blood relations. This battle involves others too. Look inward and then look at humanity. What do you see? |
Creon is in the next barber chair getting his beard trimmed by Mencius’ colleague.
Creon | Excuse me for cutting in, fellas… but I couldn’t help listening into your conversation. Mind if I chime in? |
Arjuna | Sighing. I need all the advice I can get. Please do. |
Creon | Creon is my name, leader of Polis. You are Arjuna, I gathered and we all know Mencius of course. Pleased to meet you. Extending hand to shake. |
Arjuna | And you. Shaking Creon’s hand. |
Mencius tips his hat and nods to both men.
Creon | I confess that my intention in joining in this conversation is somewhat selfish. I, too have a conundrum and would love your insights. But first, let me say a few words about your problem, Arjuna. Just remember that your nation is first. You must do whatever it takes to protect your nation. You must be a patriot before you are a brother, nephew or uncle! (68) |
Arjuna | You have confused me further. I do not understand. |
Creon | You are the rightfully elected leader of Dilemma. Sure, the election was contentious but you were declared the winner of the election in accordance to Dilemma’s laws. You cannot allow a rebellion to take charge. You must be patriotic first, uphold this election result and defend the nation from an illegal uprising! |
Arjuna | But what good can come out of kin killing kin? |
Anonymous | What good can come out of killing, period! We are anonymous and we ask that the killing stops now! No more misanthropy! |
Mencius | Gentlemen, may I remind you the important things in life – a family that is well, happy and provided for. Dignity and pride in all of one’s actions in life. A life that others will want to strive towards also. Ruling nations is not one of life’s delights (148-149). |
Anonymous | Affirm your unity and oneness with humanity! We must do our duty to humanity! No one person has a right to rule over another. We are anonymous and we ask that the killing stops now! No more misanthropy! |
Creon | But the nation-state is first! Traitors must not be tolerated! You cannot allow your nation to be invaded and your reign contested! |
Mencius | You must measure your own Heart, Arjuna (12). “Only when there are things a man will not do is he capable of doing great things” (90). |
Arjuna | What Krishna counsels makes sense. What Mencius counsels makes sense. What Creon counsels makes sense. What Anonymous counsels make sense. Deep sighing. I will take everything in and reflect. Now tell me Creon about your woes. |
Creon | There has been a civil war in my nation. Kin killing kin for a hold on power over the nation. My nephews, Polyneices and Eteocles died battling each other. Polyneices brought outside forces to fight against Polis. He is a traitor to Polis. I must make him an example to my nation’s people! We will not tolerate traitors! Patriots, huzzah! |
Arjuna | And how will you make Polyneices an example to your people? |
Creon | His body will be left out in the battlefield for creatures to devour and for all to see. This is what the body of a traitor looks like (68). |
Anonymous | What good is that to humanity?! |
Creon | Patriots over traitors! This is my principle; this is the law! Security of the homeland is first priority! |
Mencius | Recall the transformative power of virtue and benevolence, Creon (11). The way you treat the people of your nation should be an extension of the way you should treat your offsprings. You must tend to their needs (9). This is what makes a ruler great, not the physical size of his nation-state. |
Creon | Old man, what does that have to do with Polyneices not being given proper burial rites?! My patience wears thin! |
Anonymous | Example?! How horrid to dehumanize your kin. To allow the desecration of your nephew’s body! What happened to your humanity? Was Polyneices not once near and dear to you? |
Creon | He was but he was also a traitor. All of Polis must know! My foolish young niece, Antigone breaks the law forbidding a proper burial for Polyneices. She is young and foolish. The law is the law. Anyone who breaks the law but suffer the death penalty. The law is fair and objective. I must apply the law equally to all, kin or not (68-69). Homeland security first. Citizenship of the nation first. |
Anonymous | ‘Trophies’ of war on display! Horrors of war on display! Oh the lack of humanity! This body - once a human being, your own flesh and blood! We are anonymous and we demand humanity! |
Mencius | A desecrated body on display in the name of homeland security. Rule by fear cannot be everlasting. Rule by respect and admiration is the way of a proper leader (36). Recall also duty to family. Antigone is your family. Antigone was doing her duty to her brother. |
Anonymous | Oh the humanity! Spare Antigone, your own flesh and blood. Have you no heart? The law is law, you say but if one man alone can create law, then how can law be universal and just? Smash authority! Smash concentrated power! Civil disobedience, my people! Rise up against unjust laws and stand strong on your principles! |
Creon | My principles lie with the law! |
Mencius | Think with your Heart, dear Creon. I know that your nature is originally good. Compassion in action. Being able to look others in the eye, duties and rites (38). Reflect on the necessary actions that you must take in the near future. |
Arjuna | What Mencius counsels make sense. What Anonymous counsels makes sense. What Creon counsels makes sense. But how to make sense of it all? |
Mencius | The key is to follow your Heart, your Thinking Heart. |
Creon moves his chin to the left for the beard trim.
Anonymous | We are Anonymous! Show us humanity! |
Mencius | Polis has been under turmoil. Civil war is never good. You must practice constant Heart. Look inward and you will find the necessary actions (79). |
Creon | I had my mind made up and now you have all confused me. |
Mencius | Follow the Way. Follow your Thinking Heart and tremendous joy will come to you (87). You ought not go “against the spirit of dutifulness” (89). |
Anonymous | Kin and kin battled each other. Must yet another kin die by the laws of another kin? When does the killing end? We are anonymous and we ask that the killing stops now! No more misanthropy! |
Creon | We have many duties and many social roles. How does one trump another? |
Mencius | Do what comes naturally. Follow the natural rhythm. Follow the Way. Showing mirror to Arjuna. So what do you think of the haircut? |
Arjuna | Fantastic, Mencius. I feel like a new man. |
Creon | It’s always good to shed – I feel ten pounds lighter! Laughing. |
Mencius | Well, it’s been a pleasure, friends. I wish you both the best and I trust you to follow your Hearts. |
Arjuna | Till next time, friends. |
Creon | Toodles! Waving goodbye. |
References
The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna’s Counsel in Time of War (B. Stoler Miller, Trans.). (2004). NewYork: Bantam Classic.
Mencius (D. C. Lau, Trans.). (2004). London: Penguin Classics.
Sophocles. The Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus (R. Fagles, Trans.). (1984). New York: Penguin Classics.
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