In a totalitarian society, Romney Wordsworth is condemned to death for the crime of being a librarian, and he is subjected to the harangues of the state's Chancellor and his lectures about Wordsworth's obsolescence. Wordsworth, however, makes one final request - that he be allowed to choose his method of execution and that it be televised live to the society. The Chancellor agrees and later visits Wordsworth at his house, where he learns that Wordsworth has had tons of explosives rigged under the house to go off at midnight in full view of national television cameras. But as The Chancellor begins to leave, he finds he has been double-crossed by Wordsworth, and suddenly he must face Romney Wordsworth's terrifying vigil as the clock ticks down to the fateful period of midnight. Written by Michael Daly
The Hound - This episode of the Twilight Zone shows how we are all placed in the same fate in the end. Mr. Wordsworth is resigned to and accepts his fate and his acceptance brings him calmness, while the Bullying Chancellor thinks and holds himself in high esteem until his own life is brought into question.
Mr. Wordsworth feels like he has everything to gain by sticking to his core beliefs, because he has faith in his belief as an individual, while the Chancellor's values all rest upon an intangible "the State." "The State" does not give our lives value. We have to give our own lives value. The Chancellor finds this out the hard way in the end.
This story rings true in the World that this has become. This Empire of Darkness that is casting a shadow over all of us does not give our lives value. The Dark Forces of this World do not value life. This Force has the power to choose who lives and who dies. The humans involved in this force look upon themselves as leaders who are above the rabble. What if the shoe is on the other foot. What if decisions are made that affect them personally. That is the reason why we should not have endless wars and this security apparatus that is trapping and imprisoning our once free society should be rethought.
In the end the State does not empower us. We have to empower ourselves and if we are allowed to do so, then we can truly empower our society. I think that people have lost sight of the reason why the United States wanted to spread our national Value System. We wanted the people of this world to be free like we were, but now we have gone around the world as a truly Imperial Force and we aren't spreading freedom and love. We are aiming to hold onto "The United States of America" as a corporate interest by holding other nations captive and spreading fear. What if the shoe were on the other foot? I understand the problems we face with Religious Fundamentalism and Economic and Social Ideology, but can you not see that our aggression and occupation of foreign nations is not the same as the original intent to win people over and spread the values of freedom and liberty.
I pray that we get back to where we were as the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, but that anthem has just become a ritual to so many; just a song of symbolic words with no personal meaning for our present citizenry. Like the Pledge of Allegiance, do people ever look at the meaning of that pledge, which concludes with egalitarian principles rooted in freedom... with liberty and justice for all. That should be our goal not only for everyone in the United States. That should be the goal for the world.
