THERE... ARE... FOUR... LIGHTS!!!

(Originally published 26 June, 2009) Peer pressure: this is such a wonderful term, is it not, especially when it is used to coerce one into bowing to the "will of the pack" or getting one to believe the pack mentality. It is a useful, albiet (more often than not) unethical tool used by many to get others to bow to their will. This "do as I say or else" mentality is pervasive everywhere you look and, sadly, it seems that even the most "ethical" of people are not above stooping to these tactics of mental torture in order to get what they want. Even the strongest of people sometimes buckle beneath the will of the torturer, if the torture goes on long enough. Take, for example, Jean-Luc Picard (Yes, another Star Trek reference.) In the episode shown above (Chain of Command, Part II), he is captured and tortured by the Cardassians in order to gain information on an invasion Picard has no knowledge about. When he truthfully disavows any knowledge of the invasion, he is constantly tortured by his captor in hopes of getting him to break. "How many lights do you see?", his captor constantly asks him, trying to get him to admit that there are five lights, when in fact, there are only four. When Picard answers truthfully that there are only four lights, he is shocked for his insolence and told he is a fool. This continues until, near his breaking point, he is offered a life of confort (if he answers that there are FIVE lights) or a life of endless torture if he continues to defy his captor. Picard is about to give his final answer when guards enter the room and tell him he is free to go, when he stands, turns to face his captor, and says quite vehemently "THERE... ARE... FOUR... LIGHTS!, and walks out the door. However, once back upon the Enterprise, he admits that, at the end, when faced with the options, he could actually believe that there were FIVE lights. However, he persisted in his will, despite the potential consequences.

I am like Picard a lot in that aspect. I do not bow easily to the will of the pack, especially when I feel that will goes against my own principles. Oftentimes, people try to bully me into seeing things their way (which incidentally doesn't work) or resort to the "do things my way or else" tactic, which works in their favor even less, because, more often than not, I choose the "or else" path, regardless of the consequences. I have told people quite often (especially lately) that I think for myself. I make my own decisions, and have my own will. Other people rarely have any influence on what I decide, and I think to a point, they resent me for that fact. If I feel something needs to be said, I'll say it, as diplomatically as the situation permits. But regardless, I will not bend to anyone's will when I feel they are wrong. To these people, I say "THERE ARE ***FOUR*** LIGHTS!"