The Man Who Built Brick Walls
I wrote this essay after voluntarily establishing the Ships-In-Bottles Association of America and after organizing and running the first international ships-in-bottles show at the San Diego Maritime Museum in 1982. No doubt you have all met the type of idiots that I refer to here. The pen is mightier than the sword!
THE PARABLE ABOUT THE MAN WHO BUILT BRICK WALLS
Once upon a time there was a man who built brick walls. This was not his job. He built the walls in his spare time, and although his walls were not the greatest walls in the world he enjoyed building them and he sang as he worked. His friends and neighbors saw how happy he was and thinking to improve their own happiness asked him to teach them how to build brick walls too. Because so many people asked him how to build brick walls he sat down and wrote a pamphlet about it and found a publisher who published it, and the pamphlet helped many people to build brick walls and brought happiness throughout the land. When he wrote the pamphlet he did not know that there were some other people who were very serious about building brick walls, and they were not happy. “The walls I build are longer than the walls he builds.” said one, “Why should he write a pamphlet about it?” Another spoke, “My walls are higher than his. Why should he write a pamphlet about it?” And a third proclaimed, “I have built more brick walls than he has. Why should he write a pamphlet about it?” And so they talked together and rang their hands and said that they must show this unknown builder how much better their brick walls were than his. They thought that “someday” they should start a Brick Wall Society and become President, Vice‑President and Secretary‑Treasurer, and grow famous. But they never did.
As it happened, a Society of Brick Wall Builders already existed in another country, and because of his brick wall pamphlet the first brick wall builder was invited to become a member. And since he had taught himself to write and type he became a contributor to the Society newsletter, and as the Society grew he worked hard and grew with it. Soon, thinking of the happiness it would bring, he set up a branch of the Society in his own country and became its President and editor of its Journal.
This made the “longer” brick wall builder and the “higher” brick wall builder and the builder who had built the most brick walls sore mad, for they had intended to “someday” start a Society of their own, and become President, Vice‑President and Secretary‑Treasurer, and grow famous. But since there already was a Society they were curious and they now joined it. It was thus that the first brick wall builder learned of their existence. He did not know of their animosity however, and when he saw their work he expressed great and genuine admiration for it. Here, he felt, are more brick wall builders who will help bring joy to the multitude by showing their work and contributing to the Society, so he made inquiry and found a place which would allow them to have the First International Brick Wall Show.
He was puzzled, of course, when the other brick wall builders did not want to do very much of the necessary work to have the show, but since they were such fine builders he did not worry and for many months devoted himself to the task. He was happy that so many people would benefit from this exhibit, and when the show went on and it was a success he was thanked for his efforts.
The “longer” brick wall builder and the “higher” brick wall builder and the builder who built the most brick walls received much acclaim for their walls too, but they were not happy.
Said the first, “At the show it was my longer walls that people walked round and round, why should people thank him?” And the second said, “It was my higher walls that people looked up to at the show, so why should people thank him?” And the third added “If there had not been so many of my walls the show would not have succeeded. Why should people thank him?” And so they brooded together and wished that they had started their own Society and become President, Vice‑President and Secretary‑Treasurer, and grown famous.
Sadly, they overlooked one point. The fame they now had would not have been so great if it had not been for the uncompensated hard work of the first brick wall builder who, by now, had to stop work on all his own projects just to coordinate the work of the Society, and to answer the many letters from people who wanted to learn more about brick walls. In fact, the work became so demanding that he asked the brick wall builder who built longer brick walls for some help, but he said, “No, he could not because he did not know how to type.” And he asked the one who built higher walls for some help, but he said, “No, he could not because he lived too far away.” And the builder who built the most brick walls was asked to help but he said “No, he could not because he was too old.”
Nevertheless, by this time the three “serious” brick wall builders had realized that they did not have to start a new Society and become President and Vice‑President and Secretary‑Treasurer to become famous. They merely had to belong to this existing Society and pay their dues. That way they would become famous without making any effort. Had not the first brick wall maker demonstrated this in the past by doing all the work? And so, when asked, they did pay their dues, and they consorted amongst themselves, making little of the work of the first brick wall maker, spreading general dissatisfaction among the other members and telling stories about their own cleverness. Sadly, they believed that simply paying dues entitled them to do this.
The first brick wall maker was a man of great patience, and for the good of the other members of the Brick Wall Society he tried to soothe the feelings of these unhappy members. He offered to have a special issue of the Society’s Journal feature their work and was refused. He invited them to a reception which they did not acknowledge. He wrote them a letter which they did not answer. He carried back a present for them from a foreign land, which they chose to ignore. And so, feeling that he had not achieved his goal of bringing happiness to this small group he did not invite them to pay their dues when their membership expired. He felt they would be happier if they formed a Brick Wall Society of their own and become President, Vice‑President and Secretary‑Treasurer and grow famous. But they never did.
©DonHubbard1983