Parable:

There was a dining table where two men sat facing each other. One of them was eating his dinner. The other man watched with hunger in his eyes. The first man finished his dinner and looked at the second man’s hunger and said, “I don’t understand your problem—I’m not hungry.”

 

Paradigms:

The first man has no empathy that would make him feel the other man’s hunger. He should be educated and taught to see his selfishness. Then he would share his blessings with others for the sake of justice and equality.

 

It is not enough for the first man to share his food with the second man. That would not solve the second man’s humiliation in not having been served in the first place. Sharing with the second man would only credit the first man’s charity. The first man’s food must be taken away and given to the second man as his own for the sake of equity. Whatever causes led to the first man’s ability to enjoy his dinner while the second man was hungry must be torn down, changed, to justify the appropriation of the first man’s dinner as rightfully belonging to the second man.

 

The second man’s eyes must be directed inward instead of outward. He must see that his hunger is not the fault of the first man. He must look at his hunger and take ownership of it as his, and not something inflicted on him by someone else. He must decide to feed his own hunger by finding his own food and not watch someone else eat theirs.

 

Parable:

A wealthy woman moved from New York to Charleston because she wanted to be a part of the grace and beauty she’d seen in Charleston society. But no matter what she did or how hard she tried, that society just wouldn’t open its door to her.

 

Paradigms:

People in Charleston are snobs because they’ve been taught to think they’re better than other people. They should learn to be open to others and share the grace and beauty of their city so that everyone can enjoy it.

 

They owned slaves, you know. Or anyway, their ancestors did. How do you think they made all that money? By the labor of slaves, that’s how! If there were any justice, it would be the descendants of slaves sitting in those fancy houses. The New York woman should just burn the place down.

 

They’re not so wealthy. The New York woman has a lot more money than they do. Wealth is not the real issue. So, what is the issue? She has to ask herself that question. She won’t find the answer by looking at them. Her resentment belongs to her, not to them. If their door is closed to her, she must go make her own door. Then it would be hers to open or close as she pleases.