Once upon a time, in a land far away from somewhere, lived a people who could be found gathering and storing away nobbits and gadgets and gizmos…anything that made them happy. While the grandparents may have gathered and stored because they grew up with so little, the parents and children gathered and stored because they just wanted more. It didn’t matter that the houses were full, the garages were full or if their bellies were full…they just kept going to find more widgets and flodles.
Every once in a while, a person could be found who didn’t gather and store. When asked why, they would declare that their treasure was in another place. The others would shrug, conclude the treasure must be in a bank, and go on their way thinking that storing things in a bank wasn’t such a bad idea. After months and years of gathering, the people became known for their power, control, and possessions. Whatever they wanted, they got.
Unfortunately, the people in leadership, the king and his staff, were also gatherers and storers. Kings came and went; some were good and some were not so good. Some led the people fairly and with consideration while others spent their time only gathering and storing for their wealth and pleasure.
Every year, the people seemed to get worse and worse. Their gathering led to fighting over possessions. Their desire for more fladoodles made them think that they deserved to have as many fladoodles as possible, to the point that people owed more money to the banks and storekeepers than they could ever pay back.
Every year, the country seemed to get worse and worse. Their gathering led to fighting over possessions. Their desire for more zigbits made them think that they as a country deserved to have as many zigbits as possible, to the point that the country owed more money to the banks and other countries than they could ever pay back. So after a few years of huge gathering, the country suddenly realized it was broke. The people started having a hard time finding enough money for the things they really needed. Homes were taken, cars were sold, along with lots of nobbits, gadgets, gizmos, widgets and flodles. But this didn’t stop the king and his staff from spending money! The king and his staff believed that in order to help the country, they needed to spend even more money. So, within a very short time, the country owed more money than they had ever owed before or could even comprehend.
Despite this, people all over the world seemed to adore the king, even though it was because of him that they country owed lots of money. The king gave promises that he would make life better, fairer, and easier for everyone. The previous king didn’t make a lot of people happy so to have a new king who gave promises and seemed kind, made lots of people love him. In fact, everywhere this king went, he was treated with extra love and attention, even more than the kings of the past. The king could seem to do no wrong, even though it was because of him that the country had no money.
Every once in a while, a person could be found who didn’t like what the king was doing. But people didn’t listen to them. The king promoted equal gathering and storing for everyone and started changing laws or making decisions to create fairness. This caused people to be angry but nothing seemed to change. In fact, the king was even awarded a prize for his words that promoted fairness and equality. But what people didn’t realize is that the king and his staff were starting to control more and more of the country and the people, which made things less safe. While the king said that he only wanted to help people, all he ended up doing was helping some people gather more and forcing others to gather less, while spending as much money as he wanted.
Once upon a time, in a land far away from somewhere, were a people who could be found gathering and storing, who had a king that gathered and stored, and none of that helped any of them be any happier.
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