Posted by pbakes | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on May 28, 2013
There are some significant statements in these chapters that reveal the potentially dark side of the Wave. I believe that God created all things good, certainly the Bible attests to that in Genesis 1 and 2 but it can have a dark side as people twist that goodness into something sefish and destructive. Community, for example, is about working together for a common cause which God says is about building each other up. So when Mr Ross tells them in chapter 8 that “through hard work and allegiance to each other, you will learn faster and accomplish more” (page 49) he is describing community in action. Hopwever, Laurie observes this when the class stand to agree with him, “Laurie Saunders stood with them, but she did not feel the high energy and unity she’s felt on previous days. In fact, today there was something abut the single-mindedness and absolute obedience to Mr Ross that she would almost describe as creepy.” (page 49) Here we can see the potential for something that is inherently good, (working together for the benefit of all) to be used by someone to dominate others, which is of course the opposite side of community. It is important to understand that community does not require uniformity where everybody is the same and does the same and says the same. What community requires is a will to look after each other so that everyone’s rights and needs are met and not suppressed. It seems to me that Mr Ross is creating a mindless movement of slavish obedience without using their brains to think. That is dangerous and it’s why Mrs Saunders said of Robert Billings: “Such a dramtic personality change. It almost sounds like he’s joined a cult or something. (page 58) Puffin 1994
Feel free to comment on this