The Parable of Two Generals at the Border

One day while teaching, Josh was asked, ”Teacher, is the media tail now wagging the world’s dog?”

Josh spoke thus:

Two generals were facing each other over barricades at the border.

“You can not invade us,” one general said to the other.

“Why would we invade you?” the second general asked, “It is you who would invade us.”

“Your land is lawless,” the first general said, “And your land is poor.”

“Your land is just as lawless,” the second general said, “And you are just as poor.”

“You live in a dictatorship,” the first general said.

“You also live in a dictatorship,” the second general said.

“Your country is dominated by plutocrats who steal from the poor,” the first general said.

“Your country is also dominated by plutocrats who steal from the poor,” the second general said.

“Your middle class is crumbling,” the first general said.

“Your middle class is also crumbling,” the second general said.

“Your people are illiterate subsistence farmers,” the first general said.

“Your people are also illiterate subsistence farmers,” the second general said.

“You have no civil liberties,” the first general said.

“You have no civil liberties either,” the second general said.

“Your elections are a sham,” the first general said, “Your politicians run unopposed and political opposition is silenced.”

“Your elections are also a sham,” the second general said, “And your politicians also run unopposed and your political opposition is also silenced.”

“Your government is propped up by foreign interests,” the first general said, “You blackmail the foreign interests with your cheap resources and your cheap labor.”

“Your government is also propped up by foreign interests,” the second general said, “And you also blackmail the foreign interests with your cheap resources and your cheap labor.”

“That is my point exactly,” the first general said, “I live in a paradise.  What need have I to start a war?”

“And I too live in a paradise,” the second general said, “I too have no need to start a war.”

“And yet cable news will send us to war,” the first general said.

“Twenty-four hours is a large programming window to fill,” the second general said.