In the book Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull, there is a scene where Seth and a couple of satyrs are discussing recent events. Seth, basically, while doing what he thought was right, put the entire world on the brink of destruction. In trying to fix his mistake, he is talking to two satyrs to get them to rally behind his cause to save the world.

Seth is talking to Newel and Doren, the satyrs, and after promising them items for joining the cause, they agree. Seth then questions them about why they are willing to do this. I found it interesting that they only agreed when he provided a way for them to continue their reliance and obsession with screen time.

From the book Fabelhaven: Keys to the Demon Prison (Chapter 15 - Message in a Bottle)

Newel rubbed his hands together. "I'm glad we've reached an accord. You know, it might be refreshing to embark on an actual adventure again."

"Adventures tend to be uncomfortable and deadly," Doren reminded his friend.

"Don't get me wrong," Newel said. "I've developed a keen preference for vicarious thrills. But nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Doren punched Seth playfully on the arm. "It saddened us to think we might have lost you. It will be good to help a friend."

"And to help yourselves," Seth stressed. "The end of the world sort of affects everybody."

"Hoping that these types of crises will somehow sort themselves out has served us well in the past," Newl muttered.

"Valid point," Doren seconded. He stared at Steh. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather find a place to hide and just see what happens?"

"I have to fix this," Seth said. "It's me or nobody. Sometimes I don't get you guys. You talk as if you don't have little adventures all the time!"

"Little is the operative word," Newl said. "Nipsie-sized. It's one thing to swipe a meal or filch some gold. That's just sport. It's easy to keep will within your limits. It's quite another decision to get involved in an actual cause. Causes have a way of tainting your reason until a person takes much bigger risks than sanity would otherwise allow."

At times, I am amazed at the life lessons authors weave into their books. This is such a true principle. Causes can suck people in to the point that they, at times, lose all sense of self and reason. I have seen this so many times. A cause then leads to cancel culture, and eventually those fighting for the cause even forget the reason for the cause in the first place, or the original cause.

Over the years of my life in the swamp, my frogs and I have sat back and watched. Like we like to do. I have seen causes that start virtuous and true turn into causes not so virtuous or true. I have seen others move into the cause and then shift it so that it changes and the momentum turns to another target. I have also seen causes achieve their goals, and then, having nothing left to fight for, they pick up another cause that is not true or virtuous like the original one.

I have also seen people who realize that their cause is not virtuous or true, but they have already poured so much effort and time into it that they refuse to abandon it. So they continue to fight for the cause even after they have lost their belief in it. Psychologists call this escalation of commitment, often driven by the sunk cost effect — the feeling that abandoning the cause would mean admitting all their past effort was wasted.

The moment someone realizes their belief no longer matches reality, they experience mental discomfort. And in an effort to reduce this discomfort, people often defend the old belief instead of updating it or abandoning it. At this point, the person has reinterpreted the evidence, searched for supportive information, and, after finding none, dismissed the contradictions in order to restore their illusion of mindfulness. This process is known as cognitive dissonance.

It is my goal, as well as the quiet goal of the frogs in the swamp, to encourage you to rethink the causes you are fighting for — or rethink a cause before you pick up its banner and carry it into the world. The frogs have seen many travelers march with great passion only to discover later that the path was not honest, not healthy, or not truly theirs. So pause for a moment. Rethink your commitment to causes like:

• Conservative movements
• Liberal movements
• Environmental activism and climate justice
• Anti‑establishment or populist movements
• Nationalist movements
• Social justice and equity campaigns
• Anti‑government or anti‑institution movements
• Free‑speech advocacy groups
• Pro‑life and pro‑choice activism
• Gun‑rights and gun‑control movements
• Immigration‑focused movements (both restrictive and expansive)
• LGBTQ+ rights movements
• Religious or faith‑based political causes
• Tech‑freedom, privacy, and anti‑surveillance activism
• Economic justice, anti‑corporate, or anti‑capitalist movements
• diet and health movements
• crypto or financial movements
• anti‑technology or pro‑technology crusades
• influencer‑driven social trends
• “productivity” or “self‑optimization” movements

These are all powerful banners, some noble, some complicated, some deeply emotional, but every one of them deserves a moment of honest reflection before you decide whether it truly aligns with your values, your integrity, and the person you are becoming

The frogs would tell you that a cause worth carrying should make you lighter, not heavier. And if it does not, it may be time to set it down and walk forward without it. Leaving a cause behind is not a sign of weakness, but one of the clearest signs of strength. It shows intelligence, humility, and the courage to update your worldview. Anyone can cling to a belief out of habit or pride, but it takes real maturity to say, “I’ve learned something new, and I’m willing to grow.” Changing your mind is not a failure; it’s evidence that you are alive, thinking, adapting, and becoming wiser than you were before.

— Trowlen Hermitson
Professional swamp sitter. Amateur philosopher. Full‑time frog listener.