Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Highest Law

In the Dutch city of Makkinga, there are no traffic signs...not a single one.  It is called "controlled chaos".  Yet it is much safer than many of its European counterparts.  The drivers in this city can no longer use traffic signs as an excuse for their bad driving.  They voluntarily slow down and actually pay attention to their driving.  They are more considerate toward older drivers.  As for getting angry when someone cuts into their lanes?  Guess what?  There are no lanes in Makkinga.  One of the project's co-founders, Hans Mondermansaid, said, "The greater the number of prescriptions, the more people's sense of personal responsibility dwindles."

The world we inhabit are full of laws and traditions.  However, in reality, there are no laws.  The laws we read in law books and the traditions that our parents and grandparents have followed are all illusions.  The only laws that exists are the ones I write for myself or the ones you write for yourself.  The only laws that I ever follow are the ones I deem worthy.  Most of the time my laws would coincide with society laws.  Sometimes I would find myself in situations in which society laws have not been written or society laws are wrong, then I have to rely on my own laws.

When I live under my own laws, I take responsibility for my own action.  I can no longer shirk my responsibility under the cover of society laws.  I define "society law" very loosely to mean anything that has been dictated to me or suggested to me.  Any motivation that didn't come from within me would qualify as a "society law".  Every action I take under my own laws is an act of real intent.  Every action I take under society laws is an act of obligation.  One is done under full awareness while the other is performed half-asleep.

Live your own laws.

No comments:

Post a Comment