Kara gave a strange little shudder, her gaze fixed on nothing, as though unable to absorb Anana's words. 'Have you ever considered that the mighty Industrial Revolution made possible the Great War? And for whom? Certainly not the children toiling in factories and forced to die sweeping people's chimneys, nor the poor miners dying of black lung disease, nor any other of the masses of exploited humanity. Who was it all for, really?-'

'Kara,' Anana told her gently, taking the girl's hands. Looking up she saw Santiago standing in the doorway, looking on with pity. 'Don't do this to yourself-'

'I'll tell you who it was for,' Kara said, as though unaware of her surroundings. 'It was all for a few skilful liars like my father who forced people off the land where they could provide for themselves, and into the cities and factory towns, where they were told that this was how things had to be from now on. And then they were given an endless stream of lies couched as hope and which were sold to the masses under the general term, Prosperity.

'And the lies are helped along always by hosts of literary and journalistic sycophants who will tell you everything but the simple truth because like politicians they are too selfish and cowardly to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done. There is no profit to be made in working for the good of the masses-'

'I think that's a bit harsh,' Anana said quietly.

Kara's responding smile was devoid of humour. 'Do you know where the tradition of the brass band got its start? I learned about this while I was living in London. Well, a hundred years ago or so in England, when urbanization was forcing people to live in the cities and factory towns, employers began to fear a revolution from their own wage slaves, so they began to finance work bands to distract the masses from talking and thinking about social change. To the masses it's entertainment, but its true purpose is distraction, just like the Roman Caesars' bread and circuses! My father often spoke of the church and popular entertainment together as being merely a means to "keep the sheep from thrashing about in their pens," as he put it.'

'Kara!' Anana gave her a gentle shake to get her attention. 'That is enough! It is time to stop harming yourself, and running futilely away from the personal demons you bear wherever you go. Look about you! Doubtless, what you say is true, but it is not true everywhere, and it certainly isn't true here, in this place.'




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