Not Enough

[Villain - I]

Every good story has conflict. It’s often created between the clash of Good and Evil. The protagonist or hero of the story embodies the Good, while the antagonist or villain embodies the opposite Evil. The clash is most simply portrayed in the personification of those opposites, but it doesn’t have to be. They can be opposite forces in the world, opposite inclinations in a group, opposite non-human entities, or even opposite impulses in one individual. Nonetheless, there is always an archetype of Good and it’s negative, Evil.

The villain is an archetype with consistent characteristics, motivations, and assumptions.

One of those is the assumption that life is a zero-sum game. Meaning: there are a finite number of X, and if the hero (or anyone other than the villain) gets a portion of X, then the villain gets proportionately less. Anyone else’s gain is the villain's loss.

Closely related to this assumption about the world is it’s equally nasty sibling: All or nothing. Less than 100% is unsatisfactory; sharing is losing.

There is never enough to go around, which is why it’s easy to justify others not having enough. Hoarding is not only accepted but praised; a shortage for others is the necessary consequence.

I’m afraid this perspective is at work in so many of our companies, ministries, schools, and neighborhoods. Even in our homes.