Parable for our times?

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Original poster: "Stolz, Mark by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Mark.Stolz-at-st-systems-dot-com>


Parable of the Little Magi
Perhaps a story that relates to nothing)

Once, long ago, there was a group of little magi who performed their feats
of
magic just for the joy of knowing. If one of the little magi discovered
something new, or had an insight into an old bit of lost arts or magic, he
would immediately share it with the others through a courier called the
Puppy. The little magi didn't always agree, but they always shared their
insights and understanding with each other. One of their objectives was to
rediscover as many of the lost arts of legend as they might.
Among the lost arts were the calling down of lightning to a specific place
and calling forth lightning from one's self. The legends also said that
these were very dangerous forms of magic, which only the world's greatest
magi ever attempted, and even then the results were said to be often
disastrous.
Listening in on the fringes of the group there were the Great Magi named
Ludd, Tater and Kava. Now Ludd, Tater, and Kava did not do magic just for
the joy of knowing, but rather for the fame and fortune it brought them, and
it brought them large amounts of both. If the little magi discovered
something useful, they shared it with all those who listened, even the Great
Magi.
Occasionally, the Great Magi would incorporate the insights gained from the
little magi into their magic and their world renown was greatly enhanced.
However, if the little magi asked a question of the Great Magi, they were
either told, "This is far too dangerous a magic for little magi like you,"
or they were told "WE are world class professional magi. Our fame and
fortune depends on the secrecy of how we perform our magic, So of course,
any reasonable person can see, that we can share little or nothing of Our
magic with you. It would be giving away our livelihoods."
For a long time, the little magi accepted these explanations and criticisms
of their abilities, even though they were often offered in a most
condescending, patronizing, and disparaging or belittling way. Then one day,
after one of the Great Magi had said, "It's ridiculous to think that anyone
in the Land of Sun Rising could learn anything professional from the likes
of you!", it occurred to one of the little magi, Max, (and he was not the
oldest, nor the smartest, nor the most skilled in the magic arts) that there
was a great imbalance in the magical force.
He said to his fellow little magi, "Do you realize that there is a lot of
brain-sucking going on, and that it is all one way? The Great Magi have free
access to all our ideas, which they may turn to their fame and fortune if
they choose, then offer little but warnings, foggy generalizations, and
disparagement in return.
Some said, "Oh Max, we are not in this for the money, we are here for the
exchange of ideas, so it doesn't matter of some profit from our thoughts and
discoveries."
"I thought exchange meant a flow in Both directions", replied Max sullenly,
and he drifted off from the discussion group to his cave in the hills to
think a while.
Eventually, those little magi who communicated in the land of the wild
Kazoos started talking only among themselves and the great association of
little magi and the puppy courier fell into disuse.