The Empty Throne

Who should I believe in? Who will I follow? Who...will I call my Leader? Throughout the history of man there have been those who inspired others to follow them down any path, through any hardship, towards any end. I look to the man known as "Jesus", and the mythical King Arthur, to Martin Luther King....leaders who inspired such passion and loyalty...their legacy lives on forever in the minds and hearts of men. What, why, how...did they inspire the people? What secret did they hold, what magic did they possess?

The answer is in the way they interacted with those around them. These flesh and blood men became as "Gods" to their people because they could see them, touch them, speak to them...know them. "Live with them".

The greatest of Leaders have walked among the people, touched them, talked to them, ate with them. They shared the basics of human bonding with those they eventually led. Their worth and their unique qualities were felt and seen by the simplest of men. Even when they said "I will lead you", they did not separate themselves from those they promised to lead. They ate with their people, worked with and suffered with them.

Our country is "led" by those who are invisible to us and keep themselves distant and untouchable for "fear" of their own lives. Surrounded by opulence the common man can only dream about, body guards who guard not from loyalty but for a paycheck, locked doors and locked hearts, distant, untouchable, and unknown. Their qualities and beliefs are fictional and scripted by the powers that pull their strings. Our only view of them is when they make a well organized, controlled appearance on television or an elite assembly select few are invited to. These "leaders" have no idea how we live, how we suffer, or even any idea what is important to us.

Companies are ran by C.E.O.'s most of the employees would not even know if they stood next to them. Countries are ran by Presidents few can ever get close to -- Presidents who are locked up in mansions "protected" from the very people they profess to lead. Even the "Kings" of old gave audience to those whose lives were subject to their leaders every whim.

Yet now, we, as a people, have nothing but an empty throne. And empty thrones beg to be filled philosophically or literally. When humans ponder the ability of the Bin Laden's of the world to inspire others to follow them into the very depths of self made Armageddon's -- looking at the method used to inspire this blind faith is all one needs to do to understand. Humans are basically "pack" animals. Our nature is to band together and to follow a strong, capable leader we perceive to be in some way above the rest of the pack. But the strength must be tangible, not merely fictional.

Empty thrones have always been the catalyst for upheaval. They leave a land open to be conquered, by whoever rises to the occasion and gives the people, any people, something and someone to believe in. While the "King" sleeps in arrogant, delusional seclusion -- words are spoken, thoughts are written, deeds are planned and executed, until eventually the conqueror breaks through to the inner chamber of the invisible leader.

We must remember that throughout time, the very greatest of men were condemned and ostracized by those who sought to hold their own powerful status. Yet...these same men were able to forge forward and to win the hearts and the loyalty of many followers. The ploy of sneering disdainfully and using unethical methods to discredit will no longer work when a leader of great magnitude once again rises up from amongst the ranks of the people. One, who lives with them, learns from them and cares enough to actually lead them. Until then, I look to our empty throne and wonder who will eventually claim the right to sit boldly, visibly, and with strong conviction to actually lead.