BalAnce

 Thousands of years ago, before there were cities, humans lived in small groups of from 50 to 150 people.  Some of these groups were nomadic hunters who traveled widely, some were farmers
who settled in one place.  All were awed by the power of nature, and wanted to be in harmony with nature.  During this time in many parts of the world, the chief deity was the Great Mother Goddess, Tiamet.  It was from her that all life came, but she was moody and often mean.

 Then humans began to build large cities between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.  Nature was challenged by humans.  Water courses were changed with irrigation to put the water where the humans wanted it for their farming, not where it naturally flowed.  Nature had mountains, but now humans built mountains in the middle of their cities, tall, religious buildings called ziggurats.  How dare humans challenge nature instead of meekly seeking to live by nature's rules.

 The need to organize 25,000 people in a small space of an enclosed city became critical.  Either these people would get along together, each doing his or her part and not afflicting the others, or the city would fail.  What was needed was strong leadership from the top to give orders and to provide order for the people.

 It was also essential to train the people to follow the orders from the king or tyrant who was the government authority.  Tiamet did not provide a model of a king whose every order was followed.  She was the Great Mother Goddess, Earth Mother, source of all life.  She was a nurturer, not a warrior to dominate all in the city.  A new myth was needed.  The new myth was the story of Marduk, which was created within a few hundred years of the beginning of the cities.

 Marduk was a male; a strong warrior god of great beauty and power.  The other gods became angry at Tiamet.  They were now ready to revolt, but none had the courage or ability to conqueror her.  They went to Marduk and asked him to kill Tiamet.  He said he would do it on one condition, that after he had done the deed, he, Marduk, would be absolute ruler.  What Marduk said would be true.  What Marduk said to be done, would be done.  No one would contradict Marduk.  His rule would be absolute.

 The other gods agreed.  Marduk slew Tiamet, and became the chief god.  All of this happened, according to the story, before humans were created.  Therefore humans were created when Marduk was the undisputed ruler.

 This model of complete obedience to a ruler who is always right, and whom everyone must obey completely, who therefore has the power of life and death over all people, this model was what was needed by the people and rulers of the cities to make and keep order among so many human citizens.  The model for the government was learned in the home.  The Marduk model also became the model for the relationship between ruler husband and subservient wife.

 Now there is another sea change in human relations.  This one is not brought about by humans living in cities and the empowerment of humans as a group over nature.  This change is brought about by empowerment of the individual human, male or female, rich or poor, black, white, red, yellow or brown.  The average human in many countries is more powerful than Genghis Khan or Alexander the Great ever was.  The average human travels faster in an automobile or airplane than these powerful leaders or their armies ever did.  The average human can go to any pay telephone and with the right numbers call nearly any other person in the world.  Over the Internet it does not cost anything.  That is power in the hands of ordinary people regardless of sex, race, creed, color or any other attribute that divides humans.  The Internet and its partners in the explosion of knowledge and technology are the great equalizers that put power into every person's hands.

 Now that the people have the power to do many different things with their lives, they do not want the ruler telling them how to live.  One ruler cannot remotely guess how each different person should live in this world of endless opportunity.  The ruler cannot effectively rule for the people any more.  The very traits that made such a ruler necessary for the survival of the masses of people in the early cities, now make the ruler an obstacle to survival in the world of knowledge and technology.  Just as Tiamet became obsolete as a model for successful human life, now Marduk has become obsolete as a model for successful human life in this new world of rapidly increasing knowledge.

 A new myth is needed to show the people how to relate effectively to each other and how their government and business organizations should work to be successful in this new, high technology world characterized by a partnership between humans and machines.  The new myth is the story of a young goddess named Ance and a young god named Bal.  Only they could challenge Marduk.

 The People lived up and down a river, which is a metaphor for the Internet.  The River People traded all along the river, but they were angry with Marduk.  Marduk kept putting restrictions on what they could do, and taxing them at every turn.  He thought it was his duty to tell the people what to do and to organize and control their lives for their own good.  After all it had always been that way since he killed Tiamet.  The People could no longer stand Marduk.  He stood between them and full life.  The people rejected Marduk.  The young god and goddess were their only hope.

 The People came to Bal and pleaded with him to kill Marduk.  He said he could not do it alone and refused.  The people went to Ance and pleaded with her to kill Marduk.  Ance said she could not do it alone, Marduk was too strong, and she refused to do it.

 People from all over the river came together to decide what to do.  They waited until the young god and goddess were together, then went to see them.  The people pleaded with both of them.  If you cannot do it alone, then combine your strength and together kill Marduk

 The young god and goddess said they would think about it, and went off to discuss it.  The people could not believe what happened next.

 Bal said, "Here is what we will do.  You go over to ...".

 The young goddess cut him off in mid sentence, "No!  We are not going to do it that way.  We are not going to do it at all unless we do it together as equals.  You already said you could not do it alone.  Neither can I, but that does not mean we are going to do it the way you decide, and that I do whatever you say.  It does not work that way anymore."

 Bal said, "What are you talking about, there is obviously only one right way to do it and I was about to tell you what it is.  What is wrong with you.  Why are you disagreeing with me?"

 "Oh! No!", said Ance, "I can see several different ways to do it.  There is not one right way.  There are several.  We need to analyze each one and each decide which is the best one, and then agree that we will do it together."

 "I'm the male", yelled the young god, "I will decide!  That is the way it has always been.  Anything else will only lead to confusion."

 Ance was furious.  "You have a short memory.  Before Marduk, Tiamet, the Great Mother Goddess decided.  Now neither Tiamet nor Marduk can decide everything.  That is why we have the mess we have today; why we are having this very conversation.  Gods can no longer decide for the people and control the obedience of the people.  Now we must help the people be creative on their own.  If I am going to work with you to deal with Marduk, things are going to be done differently from now on."

 "You must help me.  I cannot do it alone, and the whole future of the river people depends on stopping Marduk."  Bal tried to convince her.  "We have done so much to anger Marduk, he may kill us, if we do not kill him first.  Your very life is at stake.  You must help me."

 Ance calmly and firmly replied with clenched teeth, "Not unless we do things differently."

 The people were appalled at the squabbling young god and goddess.  Everyone knew about it up and down the river.  When Marduk heard them, he laughed out loud.

 The young god continued his tirade.  "Just what are you talking about?  I do not understand any of this.  It makes no sense to me.  Here your life is at stake and you will not help to defend it."

 "Yes", said Ance, "My life is at stake, but not the way you think.  You are talking about whether we live or die.  I am talking about what my live will be like if we live."

 "Well", said Bal angrily, "What about it?  You will live.  Life will be the same as it has always been.  A place for everyone and everyone in her place."

 "That does it.  I'm leaving.  Fight Marduk on your own and good riddance."  Ance turned to walk away.

 "Wait", yelled Bal, "You know I cannot do that."

 "Well", retorted the young goddess, "It is about time you realized that.  Now what do you want to do?"  Marduk was laughing even harder.

 "Me?  It is we who have to do something," said Bal.

 "No!  You have to do something first, before `we' can do anything."

 "What in the world is that", said Bal incredulously, having no idea what she was talking about.

The young goddess, believing he was now listening, began.  "We are not going to be together here or anywhere on the river unless we do it differently.  You, as a male are not the dominant one any longer.  You are no more creative, no smarter, nor more clever, nor a better fighter today than I am.  We are independent equals, each deciding and agreeing on what we will do together, or we will not be together at all.  I will make the decisions about my life, and you will make the decisions about your life.  We either deal with Marduk as independent equals working together as equal partners or we do not deal with him at all."

 Bal could not believe this had anything to do with fighting Marduk.  He still thought there was only one right way, the way he had started to tell her a long time ago.  What in the world was she talking about?  He said, "I do not understand this, but we have to work together.  How will this `different way' help make your life better after we have defeated Marduk and we all can live in peace?"

 "It is a small thing," she said sarcastically, "It will make life worth living."

 "If I agree", he said, "How will it make our life different?"

 Ance took a deep breath as if it was all going to rush out of her at once.  He was now listening, and she had so much she had wanted to say for so long.  "We are equals.  We are each independent decision makers.  I know what I want.  I do not need you or any other male to tell me what I want to be happy, so do not try.  Do not assume that I cannot make a decision for myself and try to intimidate me into doing what you say.  That will result in a strong reaction from me, such as breaking our partnership.  Respect me for who I am and what I can do.  Do not criticize me in everything I do to reduce my self esteem, so that you can control me easier.  That too will provoke a strong reaction in me.  You will not try to intimidate me any more, or I will roar back and pour out my anger on you.  Do not assume that I cannot make a decision for myself, and that regardless of whether I say `Yes' or `No', it makes no difference, you are going to make the decision for me, and try to force me to do what you have decided I should do.  That is not your role anymore.  My `Yes' means yes, and my `No' means no.  I will decide for my self."

 "Oh!", said the young god, "That is what this is about.  You want to make your own decisions, instead of making me responsible for your happiness."

 "I will make my own decisions about my happiness", she yelled.

 "Good", he yelled back, "Then you are responsible for your own happiness too.  Not me.  Not some other male.  You are responsible for your own happiness, for your safety, for having food and shelter, for making decisions, for earning your way in the world  and for your own security.  If you are going to make your own decisions, then responsibility goes with it."

 She swallowed hard, but did not let him see it.  She summoned her strength and replied, "That is exactly right.  I make my own decisions, and", she pause for an instant, "I am responsible for my own happiness."  She sighed under the weight of what she had just said, and then went on.

 During this momentary pause, Bal jumped into the conversation in a mock gloating tone that revealed how he really felt.  "What a relief", he said, "Now I am no longer responsible for your happiness.  I happily accept.  Now I only have to worry about myself."
 "Not quite," answered Ance, "There is still Marduk and your life with other people."

 "Well what you have just said is what I am not going to do", said the young god, "What is it that I am going to do?  What are we going to do together to deal with Marduk?"

 Ance calmed down and took his question seriously.  The young god and goddess began to work together as two equals, each contributing to the solution, each deciding how to participate, and each committing to do his or her part in the plan.  Ance began, "First we respect each other as competent individuals.  I respect your right and ability to decide for yourself what you are going to do.  You respect my right and ability to decide for myself what I am going to do.  Then we bring all our considerable talents and abilities together to work out a solution to the problem."  Bal agreed.

 "When the people heard this they cheered.  Marduk grumbled, "Now I may have to deal with them."

 Ance continued, "We will look at several different ways and evaluate each of them together.  Then you will decide what you think is the best way, and I will decide what I think is the best way.  Then we will work out a compromise plan to take into account both of our concerns.  Finally we will each decide on the same plan.  I will commit to myself to you and to the people to use my abilities well to carry out my part of the plan.  You will commit yourself to me and the people to do the same.  Then we will go execute the plan."

 The young god replied, "I agree.  That will work.  It feels strange, but it will work."

 "It feels different, doesn't it," replied Ance, "Well get used to it.  That is the way it is going to be from now on.  Agreed?"
 The young god answered, "I agree.  Although it feels strange, in some ways it feels good.  I feel that a great burden has been lifted from me, the responsibility for deciding for you and making you happy.  You are responsible for that now.  We can be friends and lovers, but we have to do things together now by mutual agreement.  What you want counts, and I am to let you decide what you want, and let you be responsible for going out and getting it.  Wow!  What a change for me.  Part of me is saying, `Yes, Now I count.  Listen to me and what I want'.  Ance, you may not believe this, but I usually did not do what I wanted, I did what I thought was best for you.  That was my motivation.  I was often unaware of what I wanted.  Now I can feel those feelings, my wants, and I am excited about working on fulfilling my wants, now that I am more aware of them and acknowledge them as something I can do something about.  This is feeling better all the time."

 "I did not know", the young goddess replied, "that there would be benefits for you too in this change in our relationship.  I am glad for you and ecstatic for me."

 "That is a good way to begin a new relationship", Bal said with a smile.  Then more seriously, "Now what do we do about the problem of Marduk?"

 They began as the people suggested by considering ways to kill Marduk.  Bal suggested a frontal approach   too dangerous.  Ance suggested using poison   he is a god and it would have no effect.  Bal suggested surprise  Marduk knows what they are thinking.  Ance said it must be a plan that will work even if Marduk knows it is going to happen.  Then it dawned on Ance.  "Bal, we are going about this all wrong.  Killing Marduk will only perpetuate violence.  The new economy needs peace, so the machines that make it work will not be broken by war.  We have no idea if we can kill him.  We have to find a peaceful solution."
 Bal quickly replied, "How are we going to do that?"

 The young god and goddess discussed it at length, then went to the people with their answer, "You cannot kill Marduk.  Marduk will always be with you, but it may be possible for Marduk to change what he does to interfere with you each seeking your fulfillment."  The people shouted back, "Kill Marduk! Kill Marduk!"  Bal responded, "Violence is not the way to solve problems.  It breeds more violence."  Ance added, "Knowledge is the way to solve problems.  We will seek more knowledge about this and tell you what we think later."

 Bal proclaimed, "You cannot kill Marduk.  What you can do is nurture Marduk to be a useful, important member of the new society.  Then you will be glad you have him in that role.  We just have to figure out what that role is and convince him to change to it."

 Ance began to study Marduk, and why he was always trying to control the people.  She found that he genuinely thought he was supposed to control the people for their own good.  He was wise.  He had the knowledge of what they needed to be fed, clothed and sheltered; he knew how to decide their petty disputes with a view to their long term needs.  They needed him to succeed in life, to organize their whole culture.  He knew better than they did what they needed to be happy and successful.  In moments when he worried about the meaning of his life, he thought of helping others to a better life than they could make for themselves, because they were so incompetent and such poor decision makers.  In other, selfish moments, he simply felt that the people did not count, only he was valuable, and anything he wanted to do by whim to the people was just and reasonable, including killing them when ever he felt like it.  At these times what the people wanted for themselves was irrelevant.  All that counted was what Marduk wanted for himself.

 Ance asked herself why?  Marduk felt a genuine superiority over the people.  He really believed he could decide for the people better than they could decide for themselves.  She began to form a plan.  The first part was passive.  She saw what would happen, but waited for Marduk to experience it.  She told Bal what she expected to happen.  Bal agreed it would, and after it did then it would be time to talk to Marduk about doing things differently.  The first part of the plan was for Marduk to realize that his old ways were now worse than useless for the people.

 Ance had noticed what was happening up and down the river.  There were so many people now trading along the river, with so many different products and services that Marduk was having difficulty keeping track of every transaction so he could tax it.  Worse, some traders had found parts of the river that Marduk did not know about.  They completely escaped his rules, controls and taxes.  Their trade with each other flourished.  When Marduk discovered their location, they quickly moved to another one.  As more and more traders adopted this method of doing business, Marduk became more and more irrelevant to their business and more and more frustrated.

 Ance noticed this frustration and anger, and she thought she saw fear in Marduk.  She wondered what the source of these emotions was.  In quiet discussions with Marduk, she learned that he was afraid of losing not only his power, which he took from granted and was precious to him, but also his identity, the meaning in his life.  If he were no longer needed to tell the people what to do, decide for them and control them to make the right decisions, what was his purpose in life?  Why did he have all these wonderful talents, except to help the helpless people?  Indeed, if he was not there to decide for and control the people for their own good, who was he and why was he there?

 Ance talked to Bal about this.  Bal said finally, "The problem is that the world is changing, and Marduk no longer fits usefully in this new world.  The people want to kill him to get rid of him so he will not keep them from succeeding.  However, violence is not the answer.  Marduk has great abilities and can be an important contributor to the new economy and the success of the people.  Marduk needs a new identity to see where he fits valuably and meaningfully into this new world."

 Ance asked, "How would you describe how the world is changing, and why that causes Marduk to be irrelevant?"

 Bal replied, "It is not a simple matter.  The big thing is the huge increase in knowledge.  That changes everything.  The main thing it changes is that instead of a little knowledge concentrated at the top to operate an agricultural or industrial economy, now there is so much knowledge that a few people cannot decide about it any more.  Before the economy thrived when a few at the top decided what needed to be done, and everyone else obeyed.  The economy grew strong, because obedience was most needed.  That obedience produced the crops and manufactured goods, the new value in the economy.
 Now all that is changed.  Now we have a knowledge economy.  The main product, the source of new value is new knowledge.  Now instead of needing the workers to be obedient, the economy needs the workers to be creative.  Instead of a few creative deciders at the top, now there are billions of creative deciders at the bottom of the organization, who know more about what they are doing than anyone else, because they created it.  Instead of the top down organization characterized by obedience, now the successful organization, which can respond to rapidly changing tastes in the market place, is a horizontal, partnership organization.  Each team member receives a project from another team member, recognizes the challenge in taking the next step in developing the product, creates a solution, obtains supplies and equipment, makes the change, adds value, and delivers it to the next team member."

 "Bal", Ance said, "You are describing what is happening to Marduk everyday up and down the river.  He is trying to use his old top down, control ways, and the people are thriving on new found opportunities for freedom and creativity.  No wonder they no longer want his control.  They are way beyond him.  He can feel his own irrelevance for making them successful and happy.  They are deciding for themselves better than if he were deciding for them.  Actually he cannot decide fast enough or make enough decisions to solve all the peoples' many problems and opportunities.  It is clearly beyond him now, and he knows it.  That is the source of his frustration, and his fear, even though he will not admit it.  Marduk is useless, worse than useless, he is a drag on the peoples' success rather than the guarantor of their success.  No wonder he is frustrated and angry.  But what do we do about it?"

 Bal replied, "I know what a warrior's answer would be, but that is not what we need in this new economy where everyone needs to get along with each other, and everyone's creativity is precious to the success of the economy and ultimately to all people.  Every one is precious.  We need everyone.  We cannot afford to kill anyone.  We need a different approach.  Ance what is a feminine, compassionate approach to solving this issue for the people?"

 "I believe", said Ance, "That it is an issue to be solved for Marduk.  Suppose Marduk used his powers to help the people once again, but in a new way that genuinely helps them be successful in this new economy.  He would be important to the people again, genuinely important.  He could use his unique skills to do something really valuable.  He would have a genuine identity again, the New Marduk for a new civilization."

 "Would he be the dominant controller of the civilization again"?, asked Bal.
 "No.", said Ance, "He would nurture the people, so they could live fulfilled lives as whole persons themselves as they decided how to live.  He would be one member of the great team that made the whole economy possible, so that everyone would thrive from it.  He would have his job to do, just as every other team member would, but he would use his unique abilities to do his part of the work as no one else could."

 "He would be critically valuable to the whole people again", said Bal.

 "Yes!", exclaimed Ance, "and that is the secret to changing Marduk from useless, interfering dominance to critically useful, nurturing team member.  We do not need to get rid of Marduk.  We need to nurture him, and show him how to change, as we all have to change, to be valuable in the new knowledge economy."

 Bal was thoughtful for a moment, then said, "If he is not going to sit around and make decisions for the people which they must obey, what is he going to do?  Especially what is he going to do, when the people need to be free to make their own decisions, free to be creative, so the economy can thrive?  How is he going to nurture the people, so they can live their own full lives?"

 "That is easy", proclaimed Ance.  "It is obvious that the economy thrives when the people are creative.  Billions of creators and consumers doing business directly with each other, produce far more new knowledge than a few people at the top.  All this new knowledge is new value in the economy, so the economy grows much faster with this mass creativity.  The new knowledge economy can do more and more for people for less and less cost.  It works when the people are massively creative.  Marduk's role is to nurture the people by doing what is necessary for the people to be spontaneously creative."

 "I agree", Bal said.  "Let's consider what the people need to be creative.  They need to be free to think for themselves, and not be convinced that they cannot think for themselves.  This changes one of the fundamental attitudes of obedience - intimidation.  Instead of intimidating the people into obedience, suppose Marduk encouraged the people, by declaring that they could think for themselves and very creatively, if they put their minds to it, and felt free to experiment and offer their new creativity to others in the economy."

 "Marduk, the Encourager of Right Attitudes", said Ance, that is certainly necessary and the people would believe Marduk, if he said they could do it, and encouraged them to do it.  Many people would find that surprising coming from him.  It would be like the dominant boss, who had always insisted on complete obedience, now telling the workers they could and must think for themselves.  Actually Marduk might be uniquely able to release the people from old attitudes of incompetence and blind obedience, and free them and encourage them to be creative.  That would be a great service to the people in this new economy.  What else do the people need to be creative?"

 Bal thought, then said, "Communications!  The people need to be able to freely communicate with each other, one-to-one, directly anywhere in the world.  That takes an elaborate infrastructure, a global communications system.  The people cannot do that.  Marduk could build it, and maintain it, and it could earn its way and make Marduk rich, but only if the use of it was free to the people all over the world."

 "Yes", replied Ance, "It must be free to the people or the people will not use it.  The people who need it most are the poorest people who can conquer their poverty with their creativity, if they have a chance to sell their products to the rest of the world.  If the communications systems costs even a modest amount, these people will have nothing to do with it.  It must be free to use.  In spite of that freedom, there also must be a way for those who build and maintain the infrastructure to be paid for their work and their investment.  They must be paid by use, rather than by scarcity.  The economy needs plenty, not scarcity.  That will be a delicate balance that will have to be worked out, but Marduk in his wisdom can contribute greatly to developing that balance.  The key will be to keep the use of the communications infrastructure free, and finding a way to charge a modest amount for sales, and making money on the volume of sales.  In each sale, fees and taxes should hardly be noticed by the buyer and seller, while communications remain free."

 Bal concluded, "If Marduk were responsible for building and maintaining the infrastructure of the knowledge economy, and focused on making it easy for the people to be creative, and encouraged them to be creative and to use the infrastructure as much as they wanted, then the people would be free to create massive amounts of new knowledge, buy and sell directly with each other and generate large total fees and taxes.

 "Marduk would see that the role of government and leadership in this knowledge economy is to help the people be creative.  The role of government and the wealthy is no longer to provide food and housing for the people, or the means of production, but to provide the means for the people to be creative.  Then all will succeed in the knowledge economy.  In the industrial age the wealthy provided the means for the people to be productive, now the wealthy provide the means for the people to be creative.  The team members produce new wealth themselves, without the wealthy being aware of it or understanding it, and the wealthy become wealthier from the revenues on sales of this unknown new knowledge.

 "Each member of this team cannot replace the other.  If the wealthy do not provide the infrastructure, the people cannot be massively creative.  If the people are not massively creative, the wealthy cannot pay for their investment in infrastructure and become wealthier.

 "The wealthier will also be more secure.  With the mass distribution of the knowledge economy, most of the people will earn their sustenance from their creativity and work in the knowledge economy.  There will not be great scarcity and poverty to pressure the poor into demanding from the rich redistribution of wealth.  The knowledge economy will have distributed the wealth more broadly initially, reducing the pressures for redistribution of wealth through taxation, and reducing that role of government."

 Ance added, "The wealthy and the people in general, when they have the ability to become what ever they are fit to be, will find fulfillment as a whole person more important than wealth or power or fame."

 Bal said, "This is all well and good, but how do we get Marduk to change this way?"

 Ance replied, "We awaken in him his natural compassion for the people.  His masculine ways have focused his attitudes on power, control, dominance and intimidation, even trivializing the people he has killed or harmed.  All of this has hidden his feelings for the people beneath this pile of masculine defense against feeling."

 Bal recognized what she was doing and readily agreed.  "You are saying we need to reawaken his feminine side, so Marduk will be a more balanced person."

 "If he is ever going to be a balanced person, be fulfilled as a whole person", said Ance, "he will have to respond to both his masculine side and his feminine side.  It is part of who every man is."

 "It is also part of who every woman is", said Bal.  "Every woman has both a feminine side and a masculine side.  If a woman is going to be fulfilled as a whole person, she too will have to respond to both her feminine side and her masculine side."

 "I agree", said Ance, "That is what our argument was all about, women being free to make their own decisions, and be responsible for their own happiness, and free to express both their feminine side and their masculine side."

 The young god and goddess agreed that the first step in their plan was for Marduk to realize his old ways were hindering the people, and he could not rule them effectively, if at all any more.

 Marduk came to the river.  The young god and goddess were nowhere to be found.  Marduk wanted the river people to tell him as a sign that he was their supreme ruler.  Marduk demanded to know from each person he met along the river, where they were.  "Somewhere up and down the river", was the reply.  No one knew, but each person passed on Marduk's location and level of frustration.

 Marduk became angry and put a toll both at that part of the river.  Everyone who bought or sold anything on that part of the river had to pay a toll to Marduk.  The river People laughed and most did not pay the toll.  They went many other ways to buy and sell than at that part of the river.  Marduk could see that the toll booth would not work to let him control the River People and make them give up the god and goddess.  He grew angrier.

 Marduk stopped another person on the River and demanded to know where the god and goddess were.  "Somewhere up and down the river", was the reply.

 Marduk became still angrier.  He wanted to punish the River People, so he made rules about what they could buy and sell along the river.  If he could not effectively tax their trade, he would control it with regulations.  Again the River People laughed at Marduk and bought and sold what they wanted at many, many places up and down the river.  Buyer and seller would get together, do their trading and be gone before Marduk knew what happened.  There were so many such trades all at once all the time, even Marduk and his minions could not keep up with all the transactions along the river.  Marduk began to question whether he could guide the people anymore.  The River People knew he could not keep up with all of them, and that is why they laughed and ignored Marduk's rules.

 Marduk was furious, but he could not be everywhere at once.  The river community was so large, and the trades so fast, he could catch and punish a few for breaking his rules, but with most people he could not even find out who or whether his rules were broken, much less catch and punish them.  This made Marduk angrier and angrier.  He felt he was losing control.

 Ance walked gently up beside Marduk.  "How are you feeling?" she said calmly.
 
"Terrible!", said Marduk. "I'm very angry."

 "Calm down", soothed Ance, "You'll make a mess of things.  What has you so upset?  Tell me about it."

 The talking calmed Marduk down.  Soon he was telling Ance about his frustration, and she gently hinted at his fear of losing his identity.  He nearly agreed with her, but kept his distance from that topic.

 Ance quietly, but boldly went right to the heart of her plan.  "What you need", she said confidently, "is a new, more effective way to help the people be successful.  That would solve both your problems at once.  You could use you unique talents for to provide for the people's success, and you would have a very important role in the peoples' lives.  They would love and respect you once again."

 Intrigued, Marduk quipped, "Oh yes.  These are the same people who have been yelling 'Kill Marduk'.  How will they change their minds?"

 Ance pressed ahead, "By you changing your ways, so you help the people instead of get in their way all the time.  Right now you leave the people no alternative but to ignore you as much as possible.  If you were truly valuable to them and their success as individuals again, they would change their attitude about you."

 "Why should I care", roared Marduk, "I have the power, I can do what ever I want, I can kill any of them I want.  Why bother with all of this?"

 "Because", Ance continued calmly, "you need to be useful instead of useless.  You need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.  There is nothing that makes power more empty than meaninglessness.  If you don't use the power for the benefit of the people, you are useless and your life is meaningless.  You can't do it all by yourself.  It is not enough for you to be able to do what ever you want to do.  You can do that now, and you are miserable, frustrated, angry and empty.  You need to help the people to be successful, for your power to have meaning.  And you have a wonderful new opportunity to do that."

 Marduk quit scowling and perked up.  "What do you mean I have a wonderful new opportunity to do that?"

 Ance swallowed hard and moved in for the clincher.  "Bal and I have been discussing that, and we are impressed with the opportunity you have to make a profound difference in the lives of the people.  Come with me, and we will get together with Bal.  He will share his ideas on it with you, and I will give you my ideas, and I believe together we can come to an important new understanding of what life can be like, what it is becoming like anyway, and how you can have a critically important role in the success of the people in this new economy."

 "I'll come with you", replied Marduk.  "I have been fighting this new economy, and frankly losing, for a long time now.  The old techniques do not work anymore.  I do not understand why.  What do I need to do differently?"

 "Bal and I have some ideas about that.  We are excited about what you can do for this economy.  We hope to have a role in it too, but that will be up to the people."

 Bal sat down with Marduk and Ance.  He told Marduk that in the old economy the goal was to make the people productive, by deciding for them, and making them do what they were told.  When they did the products were produced, and everyone had enough to eat and made money.  The difference in the new knowledge economy is that the goal is no longer to make the people productive by deciding for them and making them obey, but now is to help the people be creative and decide for themselves what they will do.  This came a s a big shock to Marduk.

"What do I do with my power", asked Marduk, "and everyone's obedience, that I have so carefully developed with a system of culture over so many centuries?"

 "Now you develop new talents of persuasion", said Bal.  "Now you convince the people they can think for themselves, and you give them the freedom to do so.  You provide the vision and leadership for the people.  You show them that everyone thrives in a knowledge economy when there is mass creativity.  You will provide the means of communication and other infrastructure.  Then it is up to the people to freely use what you provide.  When they sell something to someone, they pay you a small fee to pay for the infrastructure and your investment.  You teach them a new ethics that allows them to be individually responsible for their decisions and guides them to right decisions to make them and the whole global community successful generation after generation.  You also provide security to keep the infrastructure safe and the people secure.  This is a new partnership between you and the people.  You provide the means for them to be creative, and they provide the creativity that sustains the dynamic, growing knowledge economy.  What do you think?"

 Marduk paused, "Do you really think this is the way the economy is going?"

 Ance spoke, "Look all around you.  It has already happened.  That is why you have been having so much trouble with the old ways.  The people do not benefit from them and in fact are held back by them.  No wonder they resist and ignore you as a dangerous relic from the past."

 Marduk started to get angry, then realized the rightness of what she said, and was quiet.  Then he spoke pensively, "You mean I would have to give up being the kind of dominant god I have been, and become a nurturing god.  What you care about is helping the people be creative, not controlling and using the people."

 "Yes", Ance replied, " that change you will need to make.  When you make it, you will find new parts of yourself will open up, and you will feel like more of a balanced, whole person. You will like that feeling. It will make nurturing the people, and being creative and powerful about it, worthwhile.  You will also enjoy being respected and revered by the people again.  You will enjoy your partnership with the people, and you will be amazed at what creativity they develop.  It will be beyond your wildest dreams, and will be a source of new respect you will have for your new partners in the knowledge economy, the people."

 Marduk said, "If half of what you say is true, I am going to enjoy this new role and new life.  I can't wait to get started."  Turning to Ance, Marduk added, "There is one thing I am concerned about.  My habits of command and control, dominance and intimidation, are of long duration.  I will not change easily.  Yet if I do not, I will continue to be an interference for the people rather than an enabling partner."

 "That is right",, said Ance.

 "I need some help", responded Marduk quietly.  "I used to think I was self sufficient and did not need anyone.  Now I know I cannot do this alone.  I am asking you two to help me.  Ance keep a sharp eye and ear out for any time I slip back into my domineering ways.  Advise me how to change and help me do it, so I do not make mistakes with the people.  If I get angry at you, keep after me to do it right.  It is the only way I will learn.  Will you be partners with me in this project?"

 Bal looked at Ance.  Ance looked at Bal, not believing that their plan had been so successful.  It was what Marduk wanted, once he understood it.  Their patience had paid off.  Now he understood, and he would be very valuable to the people.  He would be critical to the success of the knowledge economy, just as the people would be.  Peace had prevailed.  A strong negative had been creatively turned into a strong positive.   This was a good beginning for the river people.  Marduk, Ance and Bal announced to the people what had been decided.  Marduk went off to begin his work.

 That night there was a great feast of joy and celebration.  The people seeing that the young god and goddess were successful when they worked well together, urged them to be married.  The young god and the young goddess each thought about it, and discussed it between themselves.  Finally they agreed they would each keep their independent lives and each would be responsible for setting and achieving his or her own goals, but that they would make a life together, would be loyal to each other, to share and keep each other's secrets, to wait for each other, to give each other unconditional gifts with no expectation of return, and encourage each other to find joy and live fully.  They agreed to bind themselves into a new union, their marriage, to help each other, and love each other, and to help others and love others.  Their marriage would be a reliable union on which they each could rely as well as their children and the people.

 At midnight they were married and became one.  They were each their own person, but now they were bound together to build a strong, fulfilling marriage.  The River People praised them and said from now on they, as a married couple, would be known as BalAnce, and they would guide, guard and protect the people.  As the new day began, the young couple thanked the people and said to them that so long as the people followed them, they would guide, guard and protect them, but each person was expected to be responsible for his or her own happiness, for setting and achieving reasonable goals, for living fully and for making and keeping reasonable commitments to others.  Thus the people came to understand that balance was the secret to successful life.