I don't remember when I came across the concept of America's civil religion. I remember finding the idea very useful in studying what Black Americans are not getting from the mainstream nation, culture and society. I have not found it easy to explain what I've concluded from my studies, Over the years I've tried several different approaches.

I've tried several 'modes' of writing. Analytic mode is my current mainstay, but I spent a lot of time in lyric and mythic modes. Lyric is poetry and poetic prose. I found it good for expressing my particular problems with collective need, but it exposed more of my personal than I was comfortable with. Mythic mode uses familiar symbols to express new ideas or new symbols for ancient patterns.

I was comfortable working in mythic mode for quite a while. My main construct, designed to work Black folks, was the Quantum Griot. Most Black folks know what a griot is; it has connotations of deep history specific to Black folks. Most people have no idea what that "quantum" concept is; it has connotations of future and mysterious potential and that was the nerve I wanted to hit. Most humans ignore denotations in favor of connotations anyway. (I didn't actually do all that much thinking about the name, though. It was more like, "Modern, no, Quantum Griot...Yeah.")

So, Quantum Griot worked for my readers at the time. It gave a starting direction to new essays, so it worked for me too. Speaking through fictional characters let me be a bit looser. And because I was a new writer, putting my own thoughts to paper, intending to explain to people who had no reason to consider thing in this light, I think there's a simplicity to my work under that banner that I think can be useful. So I decided to post some of it here. Some of it is not-usual enough that I though this introduction a good idea.

This is not the first Quantum Griot piece I wrote. I think it's a good one to start with because it explains the behavior of certain officials in Lousiana.

Larval Wisdom
by Wisdom Robot
Copyright © 2096

Quantum Griots walk the Earth as humans during their larval phase. As newcomers to the way of the Griot, you still carry within you the understandings of things you gained as a human...the particular experiences you had determine the nature of your understanding. In the midst of your bright transition, you must bring those memories into the brightness for examination as well. Failure to do so results in most cases in feeling either a smug superiority or a grim responsibility toward humans. . .and neither outlook will serve you well, because either will require you to discard your knowledge rather than refine and build on it. That would be your loss because remarkable knowledge can be gained by understanding common human experience.

Preventing this is the purpose of the Mystery school. To that end, my purpose is to impart to you several observations that will assist you in clarifying the true nature of your larval experiences. We begin by reviewing with each other our memories of our perceptions. There is to be no judgement passed on any memory.

I will explain the reason, and initiate the process, by reviewing some of my own experience as a human.

In my larval stage I was employed by several banks sequentially. I learned to maneuver one step upward in each of their hierarchies. With no degree and no mentors I had to learn from watching and understanding what was said, what was done, and the patterns that existed between them.

On occasion a significant person in the hierarchy needed me to hold up one or another end of a project. To enable me to do so, they would answer some questions and explain some things. I learned quickly to examine what they said closely, as they were explaining for their own benefit, not necessarily mine.

One of those hierarchically significant people, I'll call him George (because that was his name) explained to me the purpose of rules. Prior to the conversation I thought rules were intended as a guide, or to insure a rational environment. This gentleman, being a maker of rules as opposed to a follower of them, had a different perspective.

George explained to me that no one looks at what you do as long as nothing goes wrong, and even if they do check they still have no way of knowing what truly happened. All they know is what you recorded and if that's enough to explain the situation at hand, you don't have to say another word. No one can question your judgment...as long as you can document that you followed the rules...no matter how screwed the result. More, a set of rules or laws broad enough to govern a social situation as complex as a workplace will have a sufficient number of rules to insure you can find one to support any personnel decision you'd care to make. In other words, George said, rules are used, not necessarily followed, by people in decision making positions. This accorded with my observation that the main outward sign of power is that a person can decide a situation falls outside the rules and act independently of them.

George explained it very concisely: "Fuck the rules. They're only there to cover our asses. If I want to do it, I will."

I was fortunate in coming to understand this before even ascending to Griot status. It is rare, and casts a different light upon one's experience to have Griot knowledge as a human. You, too are fortunate. Each of you are here because you have gleaned some bit of Griot knowledge before your ascension. Some of what you even now think of as human knowledge is, when looked at from your present vantage point, Griot knowledge. This is why you must not succumb to either pity or arrogance...you must not lose the hard won knowledge your life as a human brought you.

A larval observation that I was unaware is Griot knowledge is that most humans don't feel powerful. Most humans feel they have control over this or that, and responsibility for that or this...and often the things they feel they have responsibility for are different than the things they feel they have control of. Many feel empowered, which means they feel reinforced by the rules (or the majority interpretation of the rules)...this is the best most humans believe can be achieved. But few feel the power within them. As a result, those who feel they have personal power are generally free to act as they will.

On further reflection I discovered the reason humans don't feel powerful...they misunderstand the nature of power. Many humans feel they have power when they've been assigned control of a choke point in the flow of things. Power which is given to you isn't yours. Just as no one who uses a jack will claim to have lifted a car, if you need some mechanism (be it social or physical) to support your power, then the power belongs to the mechanism.

I did not happen upon these reflections at random. They were my response to a guided meditation, the assignment given my on my first day in the Mystery school...an assignment I pass to you. At peace, review the knowledge that guided you as a human. Find an example of the Griot knowledge amid your human life...be assured, an example of wisdom can be found in your life. Still at peace, consider the reason for, and repercussions of any one specific piece of it. You may work in teams if you wish. Return prepared to share and discuss your wisdom. That is all for today.