Exploring a Fable: Life, Wisdom, Ants and Grasshoppers

Perhaps you are familiar with the Aesop's fable about The Ant and the Grasshopper which — at its foundation — is an instructional parable about the value of planning ahead and preparing for the future.

The 60-second "elevator speech" version is that the happy grashopper playing and sings all summer long, eventually ending up starving in the winter because it cold and did not create shelter or food, while the ant (or ants) were constantly industrious and hard working, methodically saving up reserves while forsaking fun for practicality.

The road leads through the forest... which path will you take?

Over the years, 100's of sociological and political interpretations have been attached to this fable, alternately idolizing the ant for its hard working nature, or the grasshopper for its carefree nature.

A Childhood Moment

I remember being told this story by my mother, ostensibly in the guise of teaching me to not be too serious in life. You could say she was a "Grasshopper Supporter."

I distinctly remember my comment to her — which was clearly not the desired one — delivered with all the earnestness and innocence of an 8-year old: "If we all acted like grasshoppers, there'd be no food and we'd all die!"

At the time, this was simply a story, not any kind of lifelesson.

Almost 50 years later, I still find myself pondering that same question: "What sort of world would we have if everyone behaved like the grasshopper?"

Of course, there are other questions, like "Is the grasshopper just a glorified mooch?" and "Are the ants just heartless industrialists?"

I'm not entirely sure...

Springtime blossoms by the red barn

Finding Balance...

Of course, most fables and cautionary tales tend to be constructued around extremes, because those tend to have the most direct impact on people's thinking.

"Are you an Ant, or a Grasshopper?"

Of course, most of us are neither, we embody parts of both sides of human nature.

The further question — which holds particularly true in political and philosophical debates — becomes whether or not "the one you are NOT" has characteristics that outright annoy you and you feel should be changed, or you see them simply as different from your own approach, yet still an important part of the whole?

I tend towards the latter: I accept that I am primarily very ant-like in my approach to life, while also recognizing that life would be dull as dishwater if there weren't some grasshoppers around!

How about YOU?

Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!

(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Created at 190521 11:28 PST
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