Maverick - hero, or paltry noisemaker? Many believe that those who challenge the status quo should be exalted as pioneers of change. I disagree. Those who rebel against society, the proverbial pot-stirrers, do little more than promote anarchy and infringe on the lovely communities governments have struggled to create. More often than not, protests of "injustice" fill people with false hope then fall short of their goals, ending in trivial fatalities, detritus accumulating in the street, and the former optimists tumbling down a dank pit of despair.

Picture a bucolic ocean, rays of warm sunlight bouncing off iridescent water. See a dingy boat and the middle-aged Caribbean man lazing in it, strumming his guitar and warbling notes of, "Please don't you rock my boat," as he vocalizes the laid-back theme of his 1978 hit "Satisfy My Soul". Despite his less than desirable conditions, Bob Marley has reached a state of contentedness that he would like to remain in. Often, this is the case in societies where impetuous individuals make rash decisions for the community, and not only rock the boat, but in fact, topple it over. Look no further than Lois Lowry's The Giver for example. When Jonas and his aging mentor release painful memories on the community, they eradicate the blissful "Sameness" the Elders fought to preserve, and leave the community in shambles.

Often the goals of rebels are short-sighted and fueled only by anger. When the initial goal has been achieved, members of the crusade find the themselves surrounded by an ubiquitous cloud of chaos. The Arab Spring was a movement where numerous Middle Eastern states drove their governments out of office, along with a stable economy, access to basic services, and any kind of security. In this way, followers of seditious movements are filled with unrealistic expectations like air fills a balloon. In their giddy anticipation, they overlook the twinkling needle of reality, patiently waiting to bring them down to Earth.

Next time you think there is something wrong with your society and you want condemn the "man", be grateful for all things that are right. Sheep are often denounced as insipid. Even Elizabeth Kenny remarks that it is "better to be a lion for one day, than a sheep all your life." If you really think about it, sheep are some of the complacent animals out there, while lions fight daily for survival. All things considered, isn't it better to be happy than dead?