Hi, Matthew. Just to clarify, even though I don't personally know you, you seem to me you are an honest man.

And I know, not that any of us is completely honest. I got the point. I'm far from being Mother Theresa or Gandhi or any of the people who people look up to as icons of peace.

When I was talking about Kings, I was thinking about people in positions of authority. I believe once people, a system, or an organization gives us authority or power over others, it is easy for our egos to believe they are more than what we are.

I feel many people try to make up for their insecurities by telling anyone willing to listen how good they are. I understand it and understand them. There had been times in which I craved for one of those "Top Writer" banners. I understand they don't mean much but would have helped my ego.

In that sense, the King wants everyone to know about his power. But in having so much power, the King is also afraid of losing it and hides his fear with bravado.

When he asks you to kneel is not to show respect but to know he has the upper hand if you decide to attack.

And then there is the problem of the subjects, most of us. Well, at least me.

It is so much more comfortable to receive orders instead of ruling our lives. To do so we need to know what do we want and to be brave enough to direct our energies there. That is the uncomfortable position in which I find myself nowadays. Realizing it is up to me to take control of my own life, and take responsibility for my actions, and decide to go wherever it is I decide I want to go.

I feel we are all too eager to relinquish control over our lives. And not even in the "go with the flow" kind of way. We just let another blind man drive our car while we refuse to open our eyes.

In any case, when I was reading your piece on democracy I kept on remembering this event with my kid's guinea pigs: I was cleaning their cage, so I build a temporary enclosure on the floor. It was not properly secured so the grill-jail fell against the wall. The guinea pigs had then the chance to run away somewhere else in the room. However, they went as close as possible to the gate, to hide behind the jail-grill. Sometimes I feel that this is us, humans.

When the opportunity for freedom and/or change presents to us, we demand more restrictions, more control, more guidance, more people telling us how to behave and live our lives.

I second you in your desire to be a common man. To be a man is enough.