Notes on a Fable Series on the Structure and Development of Society
For thousands of years humans have been learning about themselves and the world through stories. This type of learning is more foundational than any other, and will continue as long as humans are humans. There are two foundational types of stories that give humans ethical, moral, and spiritual truths: fables and parables. Fables normally deal with animals, plants, or objects that can talk like humans, and parables deal with things people are familiar with. Both are used to make a point. The best example of a fable maker is Aesop from ancient Greece, and the best example of a parable maker is Jesus. The simple power of these stories, that can be insightful and useful for thousands of years, and can explain lessons in a few paragraphs that dozens of books can't, is amazing. I think there is a fable situation that can be developed to help explain most of human society, including economics and politics, using three animals: wolves, sheep, and dogs. These archetypes naturally correlate ...