“We’re dealing with a psychological problem, not an intellectual problem. Therefore, the situation is not really open to solution from reason and factual arguments. Recognize that the only reason to try to change things is not because you will succeed—that’s unlikely—but because it’s right.”

“The direction of society has a life of its own. You should work to reverse bad trends simply because it’s good karma and, personally, psychologically gratifying.”

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2023/06/doug-casey/how-the-war-on-farmers-could-trigger-a-famine/

Yeah, I can agree with that.

Unfortunately, I wasted many years, much energy, and countless resources trying to succeed at changing things and making a name for myself. However, with the onset of advanced years comes the gift of learned wisdom and I am slowly leaving that behind as a lost cause and a fruitless endeavor. I am still tempted (and often give in) to check on the number of views any given post or comment I write has received and whether comments were made by others about it. Nevertheless, someday I might reach a point where I can simply post my thoughts for the world to see without ever being concerned with the impact they might have. Miracles do happen, you know, even to people who do not deserve them.

The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, had to learn this as well. Chapter 6 of the book which bears his name records the conversation which I interpret liberally. When the call went out for volunteers to spread the message of the LORD to His people, Isaiah jumped at the opportunity. “Look at me! I’ll do it!”, upon which he was told, “Yes, indeed, you will go, but understand that the people you preach at and talk to will not listen to you nor will they change their ways despite what you say to them. In other words, you will speak and nobody will pay any attention at all to what you are saying–and, no, you do not have a choice about it. Now, get to work!”

What a comedown! A hard lesson in the learning of humility. It does not matter that what you are saying is right and good, they will disregard everything and go their own way–stubbornly and blindly–and there is nothing you can do except to keep warning them. There is no reward in your work, no perceivable reward anyway, but you must and will keep pounding on the same theme, incessantly, year after year, until the day when it all finally falls apart and collapses.

Albert Jay Nock wrote about this almost a century ago, producing the essay known as Isaiah’s Job. It has become a classic explanation of why we work, who we work for, and what we can expect from it. It is worth the time it takes to read it and, far more importantly, the time it takes to contemplate, understand, and take it to heart.

“…[I]n any given society the Remnant are always so largely an unknown quantity. You do not know, and will never know, more than two things about them. You can be sure of those — dead sure, as our phrase is — but you will never be able to make even a respectable guess at anything else. You do not know, and will never know, who the Remnant are, nor what they are doing or will do. Two things you do know, and no more: First, that they exist; second, that they will find you. Except for these two certainties, working for the Remnant means working in impenetrable darkness; and this, I should say, is just the condition calculated most effectively to pique the interest of any prophet who is properly gifted with the imagination, insight and intellectual curiosity necessary to a successful pursuit of his trade.”

Albert Jay Nock

Of course, Isaiah was not alone in this. Elijah (my favorite Biblical character because I can relate to him) went through the same class. He had just destroyed 400 prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel by calling down fire from Heaven to determine which god was really in charge, received a death threat from Jezebel, the queen of Israel, and ran for his life like a scared rabbit until he found a hole in the ground he could crawl into. When YHWH (Jehovah) came to him and asked him why he was there, his plaintive response was that he was all alone, no one would listen, and they all wanted to kill him. However, in a very gentle, kind, and compassionate remonstrance, YHWH set him straight. “Who do you think you are? I have 7000 men all over Israel working for me that you know nothing about. You are nothing more than an insignificant, little pipsqueak. Now, get out of here and get back to your job.”

Or maybe YHWH ripped that out in a burst of uproarious laughter, which I am inclined to think is more likely. But, then, that is only my opinion based on what I think would happen to me if I were in that situation.

Nevertheless, whether Isaiah, Elijah, Jeremiah (who tried to convince his people not to go to Egypt), myself, or yourself, this truth remains: the great majority of people, the masses, will not listen, nor pay attention to, and probably will oppose the message we speak, but it does not matter. We have to speak it anyway. With respect to that, we are like the prophets of old. We do not have a choice nor are we allowed to water down the message to make it more palatable. Views, Likes, Forwards, and Links are irrelevant and a distraction. The fact that we are not able to see any impact from our work is unimportant. We are to press on anyway, knowing that our ultimate reward comes when we hear these words:

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you a ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” — Jesus Christ, Matthew 25:23