Message to Garcia is a call to action, a comfort for the proactive, a thanks from one person who knows how to get things done to all his readers who value getting things done. The story is not so much about getting the message to Garcia as to how it is done without question or explanation, immediately. Now what if everybody responded to orders like this? Tons of motivation gained with only a slight loss of clarifying judgment. Instilling the ability to get things done rather than constantly having to ask and explain how to get things done.
The war was Cuba. Garcia was the Cuban American general, whereabouts unknown. The mission took three weeks of exploring the jungle alone. The messenger was a young Rowan. He would die on the Lusitania thereafter. But his display of discipline, that instant obedience to orders, has served as example for millions of people, millions of soldiers since its inception. The story of Garcia started as a magazine article, grew to a pamphlet, was distributed to all the US military, was shared with its European allies, was issued to the Russians, and intercepted by the Japanese…is enjoyed by the world.
The author wields statements that define the feelings of a time while hurling that time into the future. He identified the key deficiency in his society but does it on the level of the individual. And it happens that his problem of the times is our problem of the times, and it may be the problem of every time. But the solution is attainable, within us. “This incapacity for independent action, this moral stupidity, this infirmity of the will, this unwillingness to cheerfully catch hold and lift – these are the things that put pure Socialism so far into the future. If men will not act for themselves what will they do when the benefit of their effort is for all?” (23)
Imagine though, what are the possibilities if the “me’s” of the world do work for themselves and for all....