Chaos vs. Order

1. Chaos vs. Order What Do You Do?

2. It’s late at night. You are in a dream-like state. You think that you have awoken. You are with 50 other people who also appear to be lost and looking for answers. You are not quite sure where you are or how you got there. People slowly start talking with one another and asking questions. Finally one man speaks up and suggests everyone have a seat. He begins to lead the discussion on what should happen next. While a few others speak up and make suggestions, he ultimately ends up dividing the group up to deal with different needs like shelter, food, and clean-up.

3. What do you do? A. His ideas sound good, and you are placed in the group dealing with shelter. You are a frequent camper and feel confident so you eagerly join the group. B. Unsure of his intentions, you suggest the group take some more time to discuss the groups and let everyone decide where they would best serve.

4. The group assigned to dealing with shelter is having trouble agreeing on a location to set up. Some seem uninterested, while others are getting very agitated. The sun is close to setting and it’s getting cold. What do you do? A. Step up, talk about your camping experience and make a decision for the group, hoping everyone will follow your lead. B. Set off on your own and use your camping experience to make do for one night.

5. Unfortunately you did not have much success. Arguing continued and several left the group to go off on their own and find shelter for the night. When members of the other groups came back to see there was no shelter or even a plan, more people began to get upset. Eventually the people who remained there huddled together and made it through the night. The next day a small group of people come forward and explain that they do not feel the groups are working and that they are going off on their own.

6. What Do You Do? A. Step up and encourage the group to not leave. Explain that there is power in numbers and suggest they come up with a new plan. B. Stay with the main group and follow the lead of an older gentleman whom you trusted and felt comfortable with as a leader. He seems to be turning the group around for the better.

7. You did not have much luck encouraging the group to stay. Other groups broke off on their own. Eventually the small groups ended up in competition for food and shelter and things got ugly. Groups with less physically-abled members became even weaker, while stronger groups became more dominant. It became a true survival of the fittest. What group would you have belonged to? Is Government Necessary?

8. Great idea! Many others agreed that it was a smart idea to discuss the situation more and let people choose their group to work in based on their skills and interests. You end up on the group in charge of finding shelter. Before long a couple of people have stopped working and said they are tired. Other members of the group are upset by this.

9. What do you do? A. You confront the person and explain that everyone is needed to set up the shelter in order to be done before the sun goes down. Offer them something to do that is a little less physically demanding. B. Avoid the confrontation and keep doing your own job.

10. Great job! Your level-headed approach motivated the tired members to gain a second wind and begin working again. Work progresses and shelter is completed before sundown. The group sees you as a leader and people start looking to you for direction. The next day very little food is collected. The group looks to you to make a decision on who should eat.

11. What Do You Do? A. You decide food should go to the youngest, oldest and those that are ill. B. You decide food should be evenly split amongst the group.

12. It was a long and cold night, but you made it. When you return to the group in the morning, things have not improved. The group in charge of food left early in the morning, but has not returned. People are hungry, tired and upset. The group returned with little to offer. Later it is discovered that the group had quite a feast while out looking for food. Many are outraged.

13. What do you do? A. Some in the group are speaking up and saying we can’t stand for this. They have decided to outcast those members. And you vote in favor of doing this. B. Many are upset and secretly talking in small groups. Everyone is angry. Another small group steps up and says they will be in charge of the next meal. You offer to join them.

14. Looks can be deceiving. Things began to get more desperate. People were cold, tired and hungry. Eventually this man won over the group and began asking them to do things normally they would have never done. They ended up finding those that left the main group and taking their shelter and food supplies- all in the name of survival. How long would you last? Is Government Necessary?

15. Though you successfully avoided conflict and drew some potentially negative attention to yourself, things have taken a turn for the worse. Several angry members have completed the shelter and decided to outcast those that did not work. This same group did not feel those in charge of food did a sufficient job and they have decided to take over that area of responsibility as well. Many are scared to stand up to this group. What do you do? A. You find a small group of people who are willing to leave and go out on your own. B. You decide survival is most important and follow the stronger group who promises to provide for everyone.

16. Eventually, many small groups begin forming to fend for themselves. Other members and small groups are outcast, until all that remains of the original 50 is a small group fighting for their lives. Which group would you have ended up in? Is Government Necessary?

17. As you join the new group, you realize they are up to no good. They have decided going on their own is the only way to get a large amount of food and satisfy their hunger. This decision leaks out in the main group and sparks more outcries and nobody knows who to trust anymore. Since you were a part of this group, you have lost all credibility. Eventually numerous small groups evolve, each fending for themselves. Is Government Necessary?

18. The group seems happy with the decision, but eventually everyone is hungry and no one has sustained their strength enough to do much labor or spend long times searching for food. A small group has decided to take over and overrule the group. They begin taking charge of the food hunt and saving more for themselves. They end up greedy and taking care of only themselves in the end. Which group would you end up in- with the hungry or the strong? Is Government Necessary?

19. Though your intent was to pull away from those you saw as dominating, you’ve left many weaker members behind—children, the elderly and those that are ill. Eventually they are unable to take care of themselves and are not cared for by the leaders. Your small group barely makes it by as there are not enough people to do all of the physically demanding tasks to survive. Is Government Necessary?

20. Though you are well fed and taken care of, the leaders eventually get a bit greedy. Care for the needs of the whole group becomes cumbersome and they start to enjoy the fruits of the labor of the group while they begin to do less and less for the group. You’ve gotten into a position where if you speak up you will be outcast, but if you continue siding with the leaders you are watching those unable to care for themselves become weaker and weaker. Is Government Necessary?

21. Is Government Necessary? • You have just had the opportunity to make several choices leading toward chaos or order. In all of the circumstances, there were no rules, no government, and therefore order was impossible to achieve. Is government necessary? The answer is yes. A society can only function without a government as long as every person is in total cooperation with every other person. Since this rarely happens with even a very small group of people, much less an entire country, government is absolutely necessary and essential.

22. Though the group lets the decision stand, the stronger members of the group join together and decide that was not a wise decision. They feel that since they are the stronger members, who are more able to do the laborious activity required to maintain their existence, then they should have received more food to sustain their strength. This small group slowly takes over, leaving those in need with no one on their side. Is Government Necessary?

23. What Is Government? • When you first think of the word "government" what comes to mind? Do you think of Congress in Washington, D.C., on the Senate floor discussing bills? Do you think of your governor on television discussing a state issue or do you think of the election signs posted all over town during an election? Or perhaps you think of government as your local police officers driving through town, or do you think of the school rules and regulations? What Is government to you?

24. Government There are many different types of government. In general, government is the means through which a political unit assumes power and performs the necessary functions for the survival of a particular society. How this power is used determines the type of government.

25. Anarchy • Absence of government • Usually leads to chaos, disorder, lawlessness