"Pop or be Popped"

A lot of people would say that the balloon has hit the floor before, and has either bounced back up or been picked back up. I disagree though. I think they're looking at it in a small picture of things. Now, I'm sure that as the balloon of the Roman empire was sinking, all the Romans thought the world was going to end. And to an extent it did, when the Roman empire finally collapsed it was the end of an era. It's still a small picture though, because as the Roman empire collapsed, and their "balloon" sunk, nations like the Turks, and Egyptians began to grow in power, not to mention the dozens of barbarian tribes that had been brought under the Roman thumb.

So, how can the balloon be sinking but rising at the same time. Well, you have to widen your view. The Romans weren't the only ones with a "balloon". And it's the same thing with America. The American balloon can bust, and will eventually, but the world will still go on. I, along with every other American,dead or alive; like to think that the world would be a better place if America didn't fall; but, if your a Chinese communist dictator, America is the only thing standing between him and world domination. Of course, after the world has been nuked he won't have to worry about dominating, people will give it to him.

The point of it all, is that depending on which balloon your livelihood is attached to, the world either busts, or doesn't; and depending on which one happens, you either adapt, or don't. So what is the point of fighting to keep your balloon up if it means putting a needle in the next guy's. Mostly it comes down to one thing. People think their balloon is more important, yeah, surprise surprise, amazing how some people value their lives over other peoples. If you didn't know that this world is ethically cannibalistic then I'm surprised you haven't been eaten yet. Sometimes though people have the courtesy to attach someone's string to their balloon before popping the other one. Why do anything though, is it really "pop or be popped", why does anyone have to get their bubble burst?

There's another simple reason for it. Some people are mean, and the pop balloons for the sake of power or just for fun. And if that happens, then you fight back.

Now, through all of this, I've been entertaining a question just for the sake of humor. Why don't we just put helium in the balloon?

-Joshua A. Shillingworth