STRONG IMPRESSIONS

Strong Impressions

I am writing this with a strong impression. A toothache.

Jurymen talk.

They share stories about past misfortunes.

None of the stories however comes close to the awaiting fate of the man in the jail cell.

One of the jurymen shares a story of having his life turned upside down by the persuasive orations of a skilled lawyer.

Sure enough the awaiting defendant in the jail cell -- his fate lies in the hand of how well his lawyer was able to convince the jury that he is not guilty.

And lawyers seem to able to convince one of anything. As one of the jurymen was convinced that his life would be better off not marrying his true love and then convinced he would be a fool not to marry her.

So is there such a thing as justice? Truth? Or can someone versed in argument convince you that white is black and black is white? Are we all brainwashed in some form or another?

Lawyers, advertising, politicians, philosophers, etc. -- all create their own mythology and we in part become beholden to the mythology.  From birth we are handed pieces of the story and we try to make sense of the pieces -- however, most will rather just hear and obey what is most practical and most advantageous.

Words have power and when they are manipulated by crafty lawyers their power can determine a man's life. We are all the prisoner in the jail cell. All awaiting our verdict. All imprisoned by the words swirling around us. Words shaped and designed to make us see what they want us to see.

When it is all said and done -- this story did not make a strong enough impression on me to make me forget my toothache. Maybe a good lawyer can do that -- or better yet an able dentist.