Wednesday, November 11, 2026
We find the chain of command impossible to climb or descend. Who kings the king, and who serves the servant?
In our search for status and status quo, the well runs dry. Who governs the governor? There’s always someone higher, richer, and bigger. There’s always someone worse off, lower than the lowliest, and poorer than the poorest.
Usually, the lowest of the lowly serves the king of kings. Sure, “top dog” throws the slave a bone every once in a while and the “underdog” marvels at this glorious display of generosity. I remember graveling at the feet of “the rich” in a former job. But I realized all of those “generous” donors had one thing in common – the poverty of vying for recognition of their good deeds.
As Bob Marley sang, “Some people are so poor, all they have is money.”
But when the king of kings and lord of lords is the same as the leper and the beggar, where do you turn to find out: “Who’s in charge around here?”
It’s like the show “Undercover Boss.” The CEO is dressed like a fry cook, and she learns of the deplorable conditions of being a minimum-wage earner. She feels guilty.
When the undercover boss realizes she’s not really “all that,” the hourly worker is astonished at this sudden display of humility and transparency. But the fry cook hasn’t realized equanimity either – or equal status. And so they have a moment of truth, status quo returns, and we bring you back to our “regularly scheduled” program.
If Undercover Boss and Undercover Slave are synonymous, and when we’re all essentially the boss undercover, the question remains – Who bosses the undercover boss?
If I could blow the cover on that, there would be no more show.
Yet strangely it continues: We’re still live and “on the air.”
Somebody has to play your part.