Let's go back to evil. So what's evil? Child-laborers, rapists, child pornographers, terrorists, serial killers (when I was little, I used to think it was 'cereal killers' and people killed cereal), murderers, drug-dealers, and so on, all constitute a personification of evil. But lesser evils are still evil, like lying and cheating and stealing and taking my parking spot.
In a world where passing judgment is so easy, how do we separate what's really evil and what is not? how does this evil come to be?
I have a theory. It involves the nature Vs. nurture dilemma and how circumstances change the reaction of certain actions depending on the evolution of time. It's more of a hypothesis really.
I want to hear what you think about all this...
Also, an awesome question by Chuck Palahniuk, brought up by Arwen the Star: “If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character...Would you slow down? Or speed up?”
Knowing myself, I'd probably speed up, looking for the perfect character to play... Maybe not. You?
*Currently listening to You're my flame, Zero 7 (I love the lyrics)*
How To Develop Value-Based Spending Habits
1 year ago
I have always wondered about the "lesser evil" and the (implied) "Greater Evil".
ReplyDeleteSome things are so obviously easy to bucketize, but some others are not. For instance someone stole my bike once, not just stole but went out of there way to steal it (cutting the lock). At first I thought of it as an evil act, perhaps it was. On the other hand though perhaps it was something the universe was telling me. Maybe I needed to understand the relative worth of something that I was taking for granted (I hardly ever rode the bike). Perhaps I needed to learn how to forgive an act that was done to me.
Someone very wise put it into perspective for me. Perhaps the person who took the bike needed it more than I. I don't mean they needed as in *need*, but rather that they needed the ownership (the possession) of it more than I did. The bike being in their possession would bring them more happiness than it did me.
I would never really be able to find out (I didnt know who had my bike), but for me to presume that the act was done to be "evil" told more about my character than it did about theres, since we can only truly judge ourselves and not others.
So, I say look at "lesser evils" as a way to show that you do care more about the universal good than your own personnel possessions.
Of course I have also been known to growl and threaten people when they get close to my chocolate creme pie, so take what I say with a grain of salt. :)
I would growl and threaten people if they got close to my chocolate creme pie too... I'd kill if they get close to my cupcakes :)
ReplyDeleteI really like your answer. It also makes a lot of sense.
Thank you Mr. GWX, you're always very insightful.
Super-cute-and-funny-too... :)