Nature’s Parable Of Populist Power
June 2, 2007, 10:10am
A pride of lions captures an unsuspecting water buffalo calf. A crocodile battles the lions for the bounty. The adult water buffaloes who were with the calf when captured rally the rest of the herd for a rescue attempt, tossing one lion into the air and chasing off the others.
Though undoubtedly battered and bloodied after numerous bites from the lions and the crocodile, the calf escapes. The water buffaloes prevail over the king of the jungle and the lord of the river.
Maybe it’s because I’m a political junkie, but that story, caught on tape in an eight-minute video posted to YouTube, strikes me as a great populist parable. The lions represent the kings of the political world, the establishment that preys on the weakest of the people. The crocodile is the establishment wannabe, the party out of power that embraces a rare opportunity to grab more power.
But the water buffaloes, the people who have grown weary of their oppressive kings and lords, realize that they actually have the power. They decide to take a stand and save themselves from being devoured by leaders who live only to fill their own bellies.
The lions flee; the crocodile disappears into the abyss; the people win. Don’t believe me? Watch the video:
Categories: Producer's Picks, Politics
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June 2nd, 2007 at 8:02 pm
The cape buffalo in the clip are dangerous animals. Water buffalo are a different species–they are farm animals and more placid than dairy cows.