I was getting ready to sow grass seeds in the barren wasteland we call a ‘back yard’, when I was struck with a sudden insight: People are like chickens.
I’m not talking about the often unfair characterization that chickens are always afraid. On the contrary, I’ve actually seen them run toward danger when they’re left with no other choice.
No, I’m talking about the fact that there are very few independent thinkers among the flock.
Most chickens follow their instincts, which have evolved over the ages to increase their odds of survival. In fact, I’ve only seen them deviate from their basic nature under two conditions:
- When they’re backed into a corner
- When they observe another chicken doing something novel.
Humans are the exact same.
Most of us stick to the beaten path, whether we like to admit it or not. When we do take risks, we want assurance that everything will be OK.
It’s natural, of course… Mother nature’s way of making sure we continue on living. Suffice it to say, though, that’s why we don’t have a society full of independent thinkers.
Those who do think freely often find themselves in just as much danger as our chicken, Violet, found herself in when I was working in the yard…
You see, we’ve had backyard chickens for close to fifteen years. While it’s been awesome having farm fresh eggs every morning, (and a backup retirement plan considering how expensive eggs have gotten) there’s a catch: You can’t have anything nice when you own chickens.
They destroy everything!
Want to plant flowers? Too bad! Chickens will eat them instantaneously. Want to have a yard full of lush green grass? No go! Chickens will shred it up until it’s little more than a dirt bath.
That being the case, I knew I needed to corral the chickens if I was going to have any luck restoring our yard to its former glory. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done because of one bird in particular…
Violet.
She’s far and away the smartest bird we have… Always figuring out how to get into places she’s not wanted. Whether it’s the herb garden, which we’ve gone to great lengths to fortify over the years, or the flower bed, she regularly gets past our defenses.
As if that’s not enough, the rest of the hens all watch her every move! She inadvertently teaches them how to break into the garden to pillage all our herbs… Poor basil never stands a chance!
That’s why, when I set my mind to regrowing the yard, I knew I had to do something drastic.
I took a roll of chicken wire and created a barrier that spanned the entire length of the yard. I won’t lie. It was ugly as sin, but it worked!
One by one, the ladies went up to it, looked around and then quickly decided that there was no way through. And, since their little chicken brains couldn’t think of anything else, they all turned around and started foraging for bugs elsewhere.
It seemed as though I was finally free to plant my seeds…
That is, until Violet came along… That bellicose bird of mischief… She took one look at the barrier and agreed with her cohorts; there was, indeed, no way to get through.
Instead of turning around and giving up, however, she decided to take a closer look.
She scratched the ground in front of the barrier a few times and then bent down to inspect. Nope, there was no way under it, either.
The next thing she did left me shaking my head in utter irritation.
I tell you, friends, I watched from the patio as she stuck her toe in between that chicken wire and started climbing straight up! The rest of the birds were all standing back, watching her, like always.
With each awkward step, she would carefully poke her toe in between the fencing, flapping her wings to help her keep balance. Within a few steps, she reached the top of the barrier and hopped right over. With that, she had free reign of the entire yard, all to herself.
Damn chicken.
The rest of the flock soon scaled the walls of the barricade to join their sister in their old familiar dirt bath, leaving me to wonder what my next move would be. There was only one thing I could think of…
I had to kill Violet.
I’m joking! I didn’t kill her, though I was briefly tempted. I did, however, realize at that moment that independent thinkers pose the same irritations to the powers that be that Violet poses to me.
They see the holes in carefully crafted narratives… Spot the inconsistencies in belief structures… Call into question the blind loyalty that so many politicians have come to rely on from their constituents.
In short, independent thinkers threaten the order of things. At least, that’s the perception of those in power. But, is it true?
Honestly, I love Violet. She’s my favorite chicken in the flock. She’s got so much personality and character… There’s a reason all the other hens follow her. She keeps them safe and shows them how to get the best out of life.
She forces me to be smarter and build better systems.
In the end, she helped me improve my barrier by showing me where it was weak.
On a human scale, do you think we give our independent thinkers enough opportunities to show us where we can improve? Or do we put more value on being obedient to the flock? Do we listen when they make suggestions?
Whether it’s a political party, religion, or other cultural group, do we do enough to encourage free thinking? Or do we stifle it to the point of rebellious frustration?
Most importantly, do you think it’s possible to have a society full of independent thinkers at all? Or would it only lead to chaos?
I’d love to hear your unique thoughts on it!
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