A parable

We're all in the same boat, each man doing his job, every one pulling his weight. That's how the system works. No shirkers; we're in this together, each laborer doing his job, every man to his oar. Cooperating in this way, we are able to make steady progress.

Gradually and slowly, however, a few of the workers begin to wonder about the overall course we seem to be taking. There begins to be some buzz about whether or not we're going the right way.

The sense of unrest grows. It is becoming clearer and clearer to more of the crew that the "progress" we are making is in the wrong direction. Besides that, our leaders have apparently gone over to the enemy's side. The misdirection may be deliberate! Those who are steering are using the ship, powered by our muscles, to work destruction and murder. Our toil has become counterproductive, perhaps deadly. We are empowering our wicked masters and helping them to wreak havoc and to shed innocent blood. Without realizing it, we are now party to evil deeds. We have become slaves on our own vessel!

Finally, one slave stops rowing. He looks around at his fellows who are still pulling on their oars. A thought forms in his mind. He begins to say, first to one and then to another of his comrades, "Hey, I just had an idea. What if we all stopped rowing? The ship would stop dead in its tracks, and our leaders would be helpless to proceed. Wouldn't that be a good thing?"

You finish the story.