Grassroots Rebellion

The Leaders think they can manipulate us, and I can't deny that recent history seems to bear them out. But here's the secret that even they don't know: the masses, once aroused, cannot be denied. Our anger is is an unstoppable tidal wave, carrying all before it, drowning any that would stand in its way. Of course, channeling it can be a bit tricky. But I know a bit about that.

For as long as I can remember, we relied on the A Party. Hardly anyone questioned that because times were good. So the A's started taking us for granted, and we took it for a while because times were still good. Then ... how shall I say it? ... they stopped delivering. We fell into a terrible depression. At first, everyone just scurried around in confusion and disarray. But then, some of us started wising up. Simple honesty requires me to admit that I was among the first.

"Brethren!" I cried. "And sistren! We don't have to take this from the A's! Let us unite behind the B's!"

And we threw those bums out. And the B's were everything we had hoped! Uh, almost. But definitely an improvement over the A's. At first.

Then it all started to go wrong again. Those darned B's apparently thought they could take us for granted, too. Once again, the anger of the masses burned, waiting for a call to action. And it came. Once again, it was I who had the revelation.

"Brethren!" I cried. "And sistren! We don't have to take this from the B's! Let us unite behind the A's!"

One of the sistren had a question: "Before we throw these bums out, ... weren't the A's the previous iteration of thrown-out bums?"

"Well, yes," I admitted. "But now, it's the B's who are the bums."

"Yes, but ... what's the difference? What is the value of rotating bums? Why not throw them all out and try something different? Say, Leaders who are not bums?"

"But ... don't you understand?" I explained patiently. "There are only the two buttons, A and B. One of them gives cheese, and the other doesn't. Sometimes, they switch. But there aren't any other buttons. We only have two choices."

"How about going over the wall?" suggested the sistren.

"No, no!" I pleaded urgently. "We can't do that! It isn't one of the approved buttons."