The Pied Piper

[Mole]

We live in our civilisation with its discontents. And our discontents lead us to follow a pied piper.

Fortunately I have lived in a time of peace in a prosperous country, giving me the time and resources to follow a number of different pied pipers, and survive and learn.

The pied pipers from hippiedom to marxism, from the pied pipers of romantic love to Western philosophy, from psychotherapy to religious mysticism, from gardening to long distance running, from books to rock 'n' roll.

In the meantime, discontent within our civilisation keeps turning out more pied pipers.

 

[Mole]

The Pied Piper is built into our civilisation, we learn about the Pied Piper as little children.

The Pied Piper of Hamlin first rid the town of rats, but the town refused to pay the Piper his due, so the Piper piped the children out of the town, not to be seen again.

Of course the Pied Piper is always with us as the Confidence Man, the pseudo scientist, the manipulator, and seducer. The Pied Piper plays us a tune that is too good to be true, but it is a tune we want to hear.

And the Piper at the Gates of Dawn is a more benign piper, thank heavens, click The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame: Ch. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.