the etymology of order

the word Order has roots in notions of rows & lines- the order of things, the correct direction of flow. think of arrows & armies. naturally, it also came to mean ‘a command’- a unidirectional type of dialogue. i think of it as a monologue though.

obedient is often used like it's a positive adjective when we describe our children- praise. but i reckon we know better. a command is a rhetorical request. what makes a command different from a request is the threat of violence behind it. & the nature of threat is such that we are forced before the actual force.

we all seek direction though. & we hope to all be aligned with each other directionally. so it's easy to think order is the god. & i get it, i also skipped thermodynamics in jee. wdym the universe wants to disorder?

i think the truth is we all want to go to different places. but i also think we can get there all holding hands.

i say the etymology of order because we often speak of its grammar instead. grammar is order’s biggest weapon. we say grammar nazi for a reason. the almighty Sanskrit-Knowers deem that this is how a conversation must flow. officiate our marriages, meanings, & rituals until the entirety of social life gets ordered thus. for the good of order.

order particularly has a knack for becoming relevant precisely when there is dissent. everyone comes crying & begging for order exactly when things get uncomfortable. & again, i get it, maybe we can look to the nature of processes & entropy again.

reversibility is key when we're trying to make a completely novel change. it creates room for trial and error- a gradual movement towards the will away from present order. but preserving a secret third thing- balance.

balance is like tandav. the rage flows through you but you hold your ground. you stay rooted in earth. ecological balance is key to sustainability. homeostasis is the will of all evolution. change must worship balance- the constant symbiosis between order and chaos. but determinedly, towards chaos.

maybe sisyphus would have made a lasting change if made mountain and the rock want the same thing.