Why is everybody so gosh darn anxious to rule the world?
I guess the pay and benefits would be awesome, but I can’t imagine there’s any time off.
It would be high stress and thankless, well, unless you paid or forced people to thank you.
And look at all the decisions you’d have to make; I don’t always know what I want for breakfast.
Then there’s the meetings, slogans, pillaging, fear-mongering, plans, plots, the overthrowing, and feeling like you had to wear a fancy military-looking outfit and get giant pictures of yourself to hang up everywhere.
Sounds monotonous and a lot of work.
Tears For Fears might have been exaggerating, for effect, but humans do want what we can’t have.
We can’t seem to help ourselves, it’s a yearning that lives deep inside us.
We want what’s beyond our reach.
It’s what makes us magnificent, but can be our Achilles heel.
Still, the applicants for ruling the world continue to line up:
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Terrorists, dictators, villains, supervillains, megalomaniacs with delusions of grandeur, evil scientists, and smarmy government types, admittedly, life could be boring without them, but wow, I’m willing to give it a try.
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Corporate types who are working so hard on helping everyone, even the homeless, to give their lives a purpose, maybe as a Wi-Fi hotspot, hybrid car/cellphone recharging unit, or solar panel holder. The sky’s the limit!
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Pirates and vikings, whom I suspect weren’t keen on hygiene, but apparently look like supermodels when portrayed on-screen.
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Supernatural beings and aliens seem to have an unnatural interest in ruling our world, hey, guys, go rule your own worlds!
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Laboratory mice whose genes have been spliced, oh, wait, that might have just been a cartoon.
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Presidential candidates, sure, let’s include Donald Trump. I wonder, will future GOP debates come with a warning label: Watch at own risk, to your brain.
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Criminals – I finally watched Lucy, unsure if it had a pro or anti-drug message, but there was a certain ‘be careful who you hang around’ feel to it.
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Hackers, who, for all we know, have tried to save us from some alien invasion or apocalypse and we’ve been all testy with them.
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Scammers, who teach us how to weigh pros and cons just by sending us a weird email. Pro, click on it and the subsequent links until all curiosity is satisfied. Con, don’t open it, you’ll always wonder, what if, what if…
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Computer software makers who rule the world through versions, chat, and accessories.
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Leaders in dystopian futures – I just watched Insurgent and Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 – definite everybody wants to rule the world vibes and songs.
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Cats and they’re doing a purr-fectly fine job.
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Vegetarians – unlikely world rulers, but sometimes we just want them to leaf us alone…see what I did there?
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Hunters, ok, the loss of Cecil the Lion was sad, but humans directly or indirectly kill animals, humans, and other forms of life on this planet everyday, right or wrong.
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Gamers, but at least they don’t care if it’s the real world.
So the minute I read the title of this post I had that song stuck in my head! Thanks for that lol!!!
Yes, apparently I’m on a Tears For Fears kick! 😉
That last wrap-up paragraph- fantastic stuff! I’m in! 🙂
You rule! 😉
Hello Yada, I dont usually comment, or visit often enough, I really like what you are saying here, “Kudos” for speaking your Mind, I have not posted on my wordpress page in ages, But with articles as prevalent as this helps me to remember, and “care” The world is changing at an alarming rate, it scares me, yet some younger want//need change, just wish they could see they need to change the affects us Humans are having on our food supplies, our drinking water and Keystone species such as the Humble bumble BEE, Monsanto doesn’t care, we must care that the Large companies only care about the almighty dollar, as does the advertisers on the media some actually think is “REAL” what a sad state of affairs, great article, yada, keep posting
Doug Worrall
Thank you kindly, Doug, always glad when people can drop by and love it when they share words of wisdom. 🙂
Hope this day is treating you well. 🙂
Love the end paragraph, it’s a wonderful way to think about it 🙂 And thanks for the earworm too – Happy Sunday!
Thank you kindly. 🙂
I’m on a Tears For Fears kick, thought I’d pass it along. 😉
Hope it includes a little Mother’s Talk and Pale Shelter 🙂 Oh, the music of my youth…
Well, it’s a Mad World…see, I can’t stop. 😉
I’m Head Over Heels… We could do this all day LOL 🙂
‘I Believe’ ‘Everybody Loves a Happy Ending’…we really could do this all day…Do you remember their song ‘Scrodinger’s Cat’? Not their biggest hit, but interesting. 😉
Ha ha, excellent 🙂 I have a vague memory of Schrodinger’s Cat, had to look it up to jog my musical memory bank. They were an interesting band weren’t they? Am I heading into ‘get off my lawn’ territory if I say there’s not much similar in popular music these days?
They really were cool or whatever word people use these days to describe cool. No, I think you’re ok, there’s really never been any other band like them. 😉
I was thinking of applying to be Benevolent Dictator but I hopedwe couild make it a joint job so there’s always someone around for days off.
xxx Massive Hugs Donna xxx
I bet they have to worry when they take days off that someone is going to overthrow them. Tough ob. 😉
Massive hugs!!! 🙂
This pairs well with the “Shout! Shout” post. Anyone who lived through the 1980s should be familiar with it, as well as the title of this post. That penultimate paragraph is priceless. (Oh, and happy belated blogiversary, too!)
Thank you kindly, Leigh…I’ve been on a bit of a Tears For Fears jag and thought I’d share the earworms. 😉
You forgot the most important group that affects my life here in NH – all the politicians visiting and hoping to get elected in 2016. 🙂
You don’t think they’re covered under megalomaniacs with delusions of grandeur and smarmy government types? lol 😉
I guess that description would cover Trump and his personal helicopter that was here over the weekend. LOL 🙂
Sadly…sigh, yes.
Reblogged this on Dream Big, Dream Often and commented:
Do yourself a favor and read this…
Thank you for the reblog and the lovely words to go with it. 🙂
I loved the post but this reply to a comment sent me rolling: “You don’t think they’re covered under megalomaniacs with delusions of grandeur and smarmy government types?”
Yup, just yup. 😉
I fear we have another year and a half of politics…ugh! You are always “spot on” Donna! Love the cat filing his nails 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Our federal election is in 2 months, but the horror began long ago.
Hope this day is treating you well. 🙂
I vote for cats to rule the world. Vegetarian cats, that is.
lol I second that. 😉
Superb, Donna!!! This is a well written, wonderful, mindful post. Well done my friend. Sharing all over the place. Mega hugs! 😀
Thank you kindly, Teagan, I’m so glad you could pop by. 🙂
Hope this week treats you well, dear one and thanks for sharing.:)
Megahugs!!! 🙂
Great post D!
Thanks Leigh for the Shout Shout comment. Now I have 2 Tears for Fears songs battling for control!
Thank you kindly, but really, that’s a battle for good things. 😉
If Pinky and/or The Brain actually got to rule the world, I think I would actually be okay with that.
Me too. Narf! Wait, are you pondering what I’m pondering? 😉
Miss those two shows. Liked them better when it was just part of the Animaniacs, but still good on its own too.
They really weren’t on long enough, either.
No, they weren’t.
🙂
I for one don’t wanna.
It seems like an odd job to want. 😉
You rule, Donna, and I like your world a lot. <3
Thank you kindly and so glad you’re a part of it. 🙂
That was a great ‘shot’ of 10cc, thanks. 😉
Rule the moment, rule the world 🙂
You rule! 😉
Just life.
By the way you did forget to mention me, I will be the president of the world pretty soon, and I do have some great ideas as to how the world should function.
Sorry, there are so many applicants for the job, glad to hear you have great ideas for the world, we really need them. 🙂
Yay! Grow food not a portfolio. I’m off to pick a courgette. Oh wait. vegetarians are out to get us – help! Lovely post Donna as usual brain achingly funny and thought provoking.
Thank you kindly and not all vegetarians, just the ones that lecture and want to rule the world. 😉 The courgettes are plentiful right now. 🙂
I’m a vegetarian, so I suppose I ought to feel insulted. I do grow my own food, though.
Not at all, I rather like veggies and those that love them, but I don’t like being lectured about it and growing your own food is awesome, I’m frustrated with a society that things big business, profits, etc. are more important than people. Now leaf me alone. lol 😉
hahahahaha, my blogger bio says something along the lines that I’ve given up on my attempts to rule the world… it’s just too much work! 🙂
It really seems like it would be way too much work. 🙂
Pirates and Vikings would be VERY keen on hygiene for a bunch of reasons. Not the least of which is the close quarters. Bathing is not optional in a prison or on a boat. They would throw you in a bath or throw you overboard. Also, the element of surprise is lost if you can smell them upwind long before you saw them coming.
We’ll have to agree to disagree on good hygiene, at least in this case. 😉
Reblogged this on Approaching 50 and Fabulous and commented:
I thought this was a great post and I had to share it with all of you.
Thank you so much for the reblog and the kind words. 🙂
I loved the cat filing his, or is it her nails. Either way, it was very funny, Donna. 😀
You can almost tell what that kitty cat is thinking. 😉
LOL! Scary thought! 😀
Very. 😉
Is this too good or what! Spot-on with your thoughts. I want to get away from it all these wanna-be’s and crawl under a rock – seems like no one wants to grow up these days. Viking photograph = perfection.
Thank you kindly and I know what you mean…especially about the Vikings. 😉
I can genuinely say that I don’t want to rule the world…or do I? Perhaps I do want to be in charge of my own little world…and it might be the desire for control which matters, regardless of the size of the kingdom we wish to rule….
Aaaah, wise words, who’s to say which world we wish to rule.
So good. And I will happily leave the world-ruling to someone else, for sure!
So many people want the job, how kind of you. 😉
well, i do what I can to make the world a better place. ha ha
You rule! 🙂
I don’t feel a need to rule the world outside, I have more than enough to do by trying to rule my own world.
You are right, it would be better, if we instead said, how can I help others?
Great post as usual Donna 😀
Thank you kindly and good thinking. 🙂
I’m reading “the game of thrones and philosophy” and the author points out that everyone is trying to win the throne but no one seems to be too happy either when they are fighting for it or once they get it.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown, I suppose…be careful what you wish for, plot for, fight for.
I love the ‘And Philosophy’ series from Open Court, really makes you think, that sounds like a good one.
Reblogged this on ' Ace Social & Media News ' and commented:
Everyone wants to rule the world is so close to the Truth it is unreal as the world changes your post represents the ying and yang of life. We may go backwards but we are still going forwards and at same time standing still as we are but a second in time.
A real #Donnamazing post you inspire and fulfill with your writing and research Ian 🌹
Thanks Ian for the lovely reblog and the very wise words. 🙂
Sorry it’s taken so long to thank you, but I’ve been having computer issues – they’re wonderful when they work, but a pain when they don’t. 🙂
Hope this week is treating you kindly. 🙂
Plotting, fear-mongering, creating slogans etc. all in a day’s work, but more meetings???? Guess I’m not cut out for megalomania after all.
I know, I just imagine ruling the world involves a massive amount of meetings. 😉
True!! If we do wanna rule the world, we should treat it with care and love. An absolutely thought provoking post! Please do check out my blog as well!
I did and glad I did and will be glad when I do so again. 🙂
Thank you!
🙂
Speak of the devil, I just published a post on Donald Trump, in which Gertrude Stein went looking for him, but…. well, I hope the rest is as interesting as your post, should you care to give mine a look.
Wow, that woud have been some meeting. Your post was thought-provoking (unlike DT), thank you. 🙂
Your writing is phenomenal. I love what you write. Great work.
I’d be glad if you could visit my blog too.
Take care 😀
Thank you kindly. 🙂
I’m glad we could find each other in this big blogging world. 🙂
Hope this day is treating you well. 🙂
I’m glad I found someone as talented as you. I look forward to learn heaps from/of you.
The day is good. Thanks 🙂
🙂
Grow food instead of a portfolio. – Nice. (Can’t we leave Donald out of it? 😉 )
Oh we can always try… 😉
I’m not! But I completely agree with you.
🙂
My cat definitely wants to rule the world. I show him old episodes of ‘Pinky And The Brain’, to let him know he needs to watch his back! #MidLIfeLuv
lol Does that work? Or is he just lulling you into a false sense of security, they do that a lot. 😉
Thanks for the giggle, hope this weekend treats you kindly. 🙂
Personally, I’d be perfectly happy teaving it up to Tears.
🙂
I don’t know if we can all rule THE world, but we can choose to rule OUR world and if everyone did a good job of that, we wouldn’t need anyone to rule THE world. (Just thinking out loud).
Wise words. 🙂
The end paragraph pretty much sums up what it should really be all about!
#midlifeluv
Yes indeed. Thanks for dropping by, Corinne, hope this day treats you kindly. 🙂
I cleaned my apartment today. That’s kind of like ruling the world. (At least I’m ruling my own world.) My cats don’t seem to agree though.
Oh oh, if the cats don’t agree, you know what that means…trouble. lol 😉
That’s quite the list! I forgot about Pinky and the Brain. As a Wisconsin gal, I’m more worried about Scott Walker ruling the world. Erg.
Hopping over from Susie’s blog! Thanks for sharing your blog link. Happy 2 year blogiversary!
I can see how that’s a serious concern.
Thanks for hopping over and I hopped over to yours and stayed for a while – wow, it’s awesome, it looks like we like a lot of the same stuff; so glad we found each other in this giant virtual haystack – thank you Susie for another wild ride! 🙂
Thank you for the #bloglove Jess and I know I’ll be virtually visiting you again soon! 🙂
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
If you believe everything that the media publishes there are a number of factions vying for the position of rulers of the world.. As Donna Parker identifies there is some disparity about the benefits of any of them achieving that power..Great post.. personally I think it is the media winning this election by posting stories that herd is into a collective voting for ‘acceptable’ alternatives who are taking us down the rabbit hole with Alice.
Thanks for the reblog and I have to agree with you, with elections on both sides of the border.
Thank you kindly, Sally, hope this day is treating you well!!! 🙂
Wow… I finally found your blog.. Here’s my new blog name Tooncestales.com
Glad you’re finally here…Found it and followed! Toonce tails, er tales, yeah!!! 🙂
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
QUITE A COMMENTARY!!!
Thank you kindly for the reblog, Jonathan, hope this day is being good to you. 🙂
When I saw the title to this post the song immediately popped up in my mind :-). I agree, we all rule the world. One step at a time, one smile at a time and one good deed at a time.
Very true. 🙂
Hope this day is treating you kindly. 🙂
Yes, it did 🙂
🙂
I’ve got enough to do. Can’t imagine wanting to “Rule the World.” Great post-hoping Trump reads it! Lol.
It really does seem like a lot of work. 😉
Oh, can’t keep up as it is. Lots of interesting points in your post!
Thank you kindly. 🙂
Thanks for following me back
Glad we could find each other. 🙂
You should run, you’d have my vote. I like your politics! 😉 G-uno
Thank you kindly for your endorsement, but I think I’ll stick to world domination only when playing Risk. 😉
Yeah, it is the kittens who are really running this show.
And they’re adorable too. 🙂
Wow, so thrilled to be picked and what good company to be in, not only the picks, but the blogger as well! 🙂
Yes, that song got in my head this week and the only way to purge it was to share it…if it helps, it didn’t fully work, it’s still wandering around in my brain too. 🙂
Thank you so much for this honour and hope this weekend treats you kindly. 🙂
That cat filing his nails is just amazing!
You can almost ‘see’ what he’s thinking! 😉
It was stuck in my head so I thought haring it would help, nope, still there. 😉
Thank you for finding my bottle and throwing it back out there for others to find. 🙂
I don’t want to rule the world, because it would be frightening—-especially for the richest 1%. In fact, if I reluctantly became the world’s leader, I’d make sure to have an annual culling of the top 1% starting with everyone on the current Fortune 400 list my first day in power. Then instead of lying and cheating to become a member of the oligarchs, people at the top would be frantic to lose their wealth before the next annual culling day.
That would be a unique method of keeping the rich in line and spread the wealth because when people say there’s not enough money in the world for food, affordable housing, medicine, etc., there is, it’s just being hoarded by the rich. 😉
From the BBC (January 19, 2015):
he wealthiest 1% will soon own more than the rest of the world’s population, according to a study by anti-poverty charity Oxfam.
The charity’s research shows that the share of the world’s wealth owned by the richest 1% increased from 44% in 2009 to 48% last year.
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30875633
1% or 72.6 million hold 48% of the world’s wealth
99% (7 billion 193 million 656 thousand 411) holds the other 52%
Global private financial wealth grew by nearly 12 percent in 2014 to reach a total of $164 trillion.
The 1% holds $78.72 Trillion of that $164 Trillion.
https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/financial-institutions-growth-global-wealth-2015-winning-the-growth-game/?chapter=2
Frightening and so stupid, it doesn’t make any sense.
I’m not a religious person but I think the Bible offers some good advice, and the Bible has 57 Bible Versus about Greed. All of this was talked about around campfires thousands of years ago, and then written down. Evidently the greedy have not learned a thing.
For instance:
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Timothy 6:10
“A greedy man stirs up strife, … ” Proverbs 28:25
“And in their greed they will exploit you with false words.” 2 Peter 2:3
Yes, and it becomes even more obvious in politics, for example, we have a Federal election here in Canada and it’s all about buying votes, it’s so wrong, it’s literally sickening.
What good would money be if you know others are suffering, struggling, even dying just because they don’t have food, shelter, safety, medicine? It’s so silly and sad.
What an amazing post. Loved it. You are so cynical and then so wonderfully hopeful at the end. I totally agree.
Yes, I’m a weird combination…I guess I want to believe. 🙂
A nice combination of joy and hope.
Works for me. 🙂
Once I “lost” my husband, house and professional job in one year I had a great friend and dear mentor who was only 40 while I was 50 who got cancer and died. Nothing seems insurmountable now, D.
do, I think small favors, paying forward and smiling even if you are having a bad day makes a huge impact in your pathway through life, one moment at a time. Like those little droplets which make ripple circles widening ever so slowly until reaching across oceans and continents. Fantastic way to start the ripple effect going from your corner. . .
I’m sorry to hear about those losses, that must have been an extremely difficult time. They say fire tempers steel, but sometimes I’d rather not have to be tempered quite so much, I’m sure you agree.
I agree, those things really do change the world, and rule it. 🙂
I just saw Tears For Fears in concert last weekend, along with Hall and Oates. Because old. They still sounded great. We have a chihuahua who wants to rule the world. Love the message of this post.
Aren’t we lucky to be old? lol It’s not for the faint of heart, but hey, Tears for Fears, worth it…I’m so glad to hear they still sound great. 🙂
Well, at least he will be a benevolent ruler and you won’t have to spend a fortune on the jewels for his throne because it will be tiny and adorable. 😉
Hope this weekend is being good to you and you have a brand new follower and fan. 🙂 xo
My dog seems to rule my world! Great post! Thanks for sharing at The Bloggers Pit Stop!
lol At least he’s a benevolent ruler, right? 😉
Hope everything is going well in your furry run kingdom. 🙂
I have been listening to lots of 80’s music lately. Your title caught my attention with the Tears For Fears reference. <3 I especially like the last paragraph of this post.
A show of support can go a long way.
Cats rule!
It was a magnificent era for music, wasn’t it?
Thank you for your kind words and for dropping by, you’ve reminded me I need to get back to blogging 😉
It can and they do! lol 🙂
Hope this week is being good to you so far. 🙂
Just when I think #TrafficJamWeekend can’t get any better I find my post featured and I’m even happier! Thank you kindly.
I love this linky party, I don’t know how you all do it every week, but I’m so so so glad you do, it helps bloggers connect and in this giant virtual haystack that is a gift.
Thank you and hope the week ahead treats you all well. Best wishes. 🙂
Just when I think #TrafficJamWeekend can’t get any better I find my post featured and I’m even happier! Thank you kindly.
I love this linky party, I don’t know how you all do it every week, but I’m so so so glad you do, it helps bloggers connect and in this giant virtual haystack that is a gift.
Thank you and hope the week ahead treats you all well. Best wishes. 🙂
Thank you so much for the lovely share. 🙂
Hope this day is treating you kindly. 🙂
I like most the last paragraph of this post.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for dropping by, hope this weekend treats you kindly. 🙂