Schematics for Peace: Resistors

One of the most fundamental components in electronics is a passive device called a resistor. They vary in size from less than half a grain of rice to large cabinet sized water cooled behemoths. A majority are half the size of a single macaroni noodle.

These little two legged parts are in almost everything that can be called electronic. Their function is to limit current in a circuit. By doing so, they develop a voltage across their terminals proportional to the value of the resistor and the current flowing through it. Since they restrict the flow of electricity, they also develop some heat. If they are not sized appropriately there is first a burning smell and then a spectacular flash/pop and they burn out.

Now I admit here is where my metaphor could take any number of directions or even start to sound contradictory. So let me offer one possible analogy. These resistors in conflict prone social networks could represent those persons or institutions that limit/resist the free flow of justice from the Source. By doing so, they manifest heat in and around themselves in the form of conflict. If they are not robust enough to handle the conflict generated heat they may blow out with smoke and fire totally stopping the flow from the Source to the networks they are attached to.

What is hopeful is that as they draw conflict attention to themselves (voltage drop) this is evidence that the Source is still supplying the current of justice and peace.