The Citizen Guest / Part One / An Intro

The Citizen Guest
Part One

Guest Defined:

01. A person to whom hospitality is extended.
02. A person who is entertained in the home of another.
03. One who shares the dwelling of another.

Inquiline Defined:

01. An animal that lives habitually in the nest or abode of some other species. In the context of this essay, the term inquiline is applied to human beings who, it is argued, live in a world that is not of their making and for all intents and purposes, is the property (or residence) of an unknown landlord.

Wherever someone lives and however they subsist, each exists in one of only three possible conditions:

01. As a gracious host who welcomes, accepts, or tolerates the presence of others.
02. As the welcome, accepted, or tolerated guest of a gracious host.
03. As an involuntary attendee who, by accident of circumstance, can neither escape nor change their perceived predicament or condition.

No single human being or group bears a deed of ownership which states that the Earth or its contents is their private possession. No one possesses an endowment or entitlement whereby all other people, by virtue of the good graces of their accommodating host, are merely guests in residence upon an owner's personal property. It is therefore safe to assume, until proven otherwise, that everyone is a guest while the true owner of the land remains unknown.

The terms, owner, and ownership, are further defined as potentially sovereign, autonomous titles. To wit the Earth itself might be likened as a rightful landlord, whereby all living things are accommodated accordingly.

From a purely religious standpoint, it could be argued that God is the actual landlord and that we are His tenants. Moreover, attempts to delineate and define guests as either invited or uninvited are essentially irrelevant. For the purposes set forth here, the identity of the true owner(s) is not important, nor is it relevant how we came to be here -- only that we are. And that no part of the world belongs exclusively to any of us. Further, our physical body, as an exception, represents a sovereign possession that exists beyond the scope of the principles outlined in this particular essay.

As a third category, a legitimate discrepancy may well be demonstrated whereas one sees, considers, and defines oneself as an innocent captive -- as a victimized “prisoner”. A state of being in stark contrast to the proposed alternative role of guest. With respect to this tertiary condition, it is certainly in the best interest of the prisoner that others see themselves as guests. Fellow prisoners rarely honor their own, and will abuse each other with the same violence as shown to any other. Hence it is also a good idea for those bent on claiming a prisoner status to adopt, at least superficially, the more sociable attitudes expected of guests.

Though prisoners are not bound to obey the same “rules” that govern guests, they are equally vulnerable to punishments, retributions, and acts of justice brought by both the lawful and lawless. The more that people regard each other and themselves as guests, the more orderly and productive their lives. Conversely, the more chaotic and dangerous their struggle to survive.

Be it thus resolved that humans are guests upon planet Earth and as such, should conduct themselves accordingly, in a manner consistent with the behaviors and responsibilities as described.

"I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill."
-- Gandhi

The Guest Principles: Rules Of Conduct as a Matter of Attitude.

01. A guest is respectful and considerate of that which is not their personal property.
02. A guest is respectful and considerate of all other guests, with whom all things are shared.
03. A guest understands and presumes that all aspects of the world, inclusive of all non-human entities, both animal and vegetable, every form of fauna and flora, plus all other environmental elements such as air, land, and sea, and all such things as found in each, are either sovereign unto themselves, or are the private property of an unknown owner(s).
04. A guest possesses no special rights or privileges as concerns his or her relationships with all living beings “non-human” in nature. This rule applies only to personal and private “wants and desires”. Legitimate “needs” are exempted, whereby a single proviso is allowed as described in rule 05.
05. A guest, in order to satisfy basic physical and biological needs, and/or in perpetuation of family and kind, may destroy, kill, and otherwise consume any and all non-human resources as necessary. Further, that such resources may be taken in such abundance and quantity as befits anticipated and reasonable future necessities.
06. A guest who suffers injury as a direct or indirect result of another guest’s actions, or from a non-human presence, is not entitled as a matter of arbitrary recourse, to exact justice from, or inflict punishment upon, uninvolved and/or innocent others, be they human or animal.
07. A guest must never treat another guest in a manner that they would personally reject as wrongful, if done unto them.
08. A guest must always discourage or disallow another guest, or prisoner, from behaving in a disrespectful, inconsiderate manner, inconsistent with the laws delineated here.
09. A guest must never promote or endorse forces of indiscriminate, peripheral or collateral harm which are brought against fellow guests or non-human entities. Or, by inaction, permit injury or damage to likewise occur.
10. Failure to abide by these rules of conduct may alter one’s status as guest, and change it to that of prisoner. Once identified as such, a violator is considered both an enemy and a threat to all other guests and prisoners.

This ends Part One, an introduction to the Guest Principle as relates to humanity's role on planet Earth. The story is far from over, however, and continues with Part Two.