The Tale of the Tribe of Preventers and the Tribe of Makers

Not so long ago, in a fertile land between green hills and wide fields, there lived two tribes.

The first tribe called themselves the Makers. They built houses, planted trees, repaired roads, and invented new things to make life easier and more beautiful for everyone.

The second tribe called themselves the Preventers. Their original purpose had been to make sure nothing bad happened. They checked whether bridges were safe, wells were clean, and that no one harmed another.

For a long time, both tribes lived in good balance. But over the years, something strange occurred.

#The Growing of the Little Ropes

The tribe of Preventers grew. Slowly at first — and then faster and faster. More and more people were trained to inspect, control, approve, and prohibit. Many of them were clever and hardworking people. Yet they did not notice that their work had changed.

Every Preventer received a little rope. With this rope, they tied a small knot around the hands or feet of a Maker. Not tightly — just a little.

Just to be safe

So they said.

One rope didn’t hurt. Two ropes were barely noticeable. But after twenty years, thousands of Preventers held little ropes in their hands. And the Makers lay — like a sleeping giant — ever more often bound upon the ground.

The fields were tended less. The roads developed cracks. The wells grew old. And many young people left the land, because they could work more freely elsewhere.

#The Great Question

One day, when many Preventers had grown old and looked back upon their life’s work, they asked themselves some uncomfortable questions:

Why is there suddenly not enough money for our pensions?
Why are the roads broken?
Why are doctors and hospitals missing?
Why is the youth moving away?

Then two of the old and gentle tribal elders stepped forward. They asked the tribe a simple question:

Tell us: Has your work prevented more — or enabled more?

And they asked further:

Has your daily work improved people’s lives?
Were people able to find happiness in their own way?
Would you be missed if your role disappeared tomorrow?
Or might things actually be better for everyone?

#The Realization

The tribe fell silent. Slowly, people looked down at their hands. And suddenly they saw it. Almost every Preventer was holding a little rope. And at the other end of those ropes lay the Makers.

• The blacksmiths.
• The farmers.
• The craftsmen.
• The inventors.

Many of the Preventers were horrified.

That was never our intention. We only wanted to help.

#The Great Moment

Then something happened that no one had expected. A child from the tribe suddenly cried out:

If we let go of the ropes, the Makers can stand up again!

First one person let go of their rope. Then a second. Then a third. And suddenly everyone dropped their ropes.

The Makers stood up. They built new houses. They repaired roads. They planted fruit trees. They opened workshops and schools. The land began to flourish again.

And the people felt something they had not felt in a long time: Hope.

#The Tribe’s Oath

The tribe of Preventers said:

Something like this must never happen again.

So they founded a new office. They called it the Ministry of Makers. Its purpose was a very special one: not to prevent. But to ensure that no one was prevented unnecessarily.

And into the tribal constitution they wrote a new sentence:

Every person has the right to work in the field of the Makers. No one may be forced to be a part of the Preventers.

And they resolved one more thing: whenever new Preventers emerge somewhere, the first question shall be asked:

Does this truly help people? Or does it merely tie another little rope?

And since that time, the people of the land pass down a simple piece of wisdom:

Never hold a rope that keeps a Maker on the ground.

And so they lived — working, building, laughing, and enabling — happily ever after. 🌱