Originally a comment on BrendaStewart’s short and quite accurate diary, What to do or what not to do, that is the question… which I reprint here in its entirety.
“Man alive, if only I could do some deep thinking here.
If only I had the smarts enough to figure this whole thing out.
What to do or what not to do, is the question. Do you know?”
My response below:
Can none of you conceive of absolute evil?
We whinny on past the concept like a herd of frightened horses at every turn, despite the fact that IT IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE EXPLANATION FOR THESE KINDS OF EVENTS.
Absolute evil.
Every great religious movement has recognized its existence during all the millions of years of human evolution.
During Prohibition they used to sing “Fifty million Frenchmen can’t be wrong.”
Well…how many BILLIONS have recognized this force as it presents in the pathology of human life?
Absolute evil…the banality of:
How much more plainly can it be presented?
We speak of “mistakes”, of “bad planning”, of “wasted opportunities”.
BULLSHIT!!!
If it walks like a duck…
When a set of forces CONSISTENTLY AND FOREVER creates death and chaos on the face of the earth (No matter WHAT myth you need to create in order to objectify what is truly non-corporeal in form.), the only question that remains is…
How best to DEAL with it.
We are not doing so hot, right now.
And why?
Because “the devil”…and again, call it what you will, it’s all the same to me…has this trick.
His BEST trick.
Convincing you that he doesn’t exist.
Well, babies…he DOES.
Bet on it.
He’s a shape-shifter.
A multipler inhabitor of human forms.
He’s always BUSILY at work.
And…he’s a trickster.
“Get thee behind me” said Christ.
And “NEWSTRIKE!!!” say I.
You literally cannot believe a thing he says.
Not goddamned THING.
Nor can you use his own tools against him.
From the Richard Wilhelm translation of the I CHING
In a resolute struggle of the good against evil, there are, however, definite rules that must not be disregarded, if it is to succeed.
First, resolution must be based on a union of strength and friendliness.
Second, a compromise with evil is not possible; evil must under all circumstances be openly discredited. Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed over.
Third, the struggle must not be carried on directly by force. If evil is branded, it thinks of weapons, and if we do it the favor of fighting against it blow for blow, we lose in the end because thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion. Therefore it is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own persons against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the sharp edges of the weapons of evil becomes dulled.
Yup.
This is nothing new, this situation.
Just another set of changes.
“Evil must under all circumstances be openly discredited.”
But…you cannot do that if you do not recognize the very EXISTENCE of evil.
Read the above comments again. (Comments on BrendaStewart’s original diary.)
“Personally, I think that everything that Bush has attempted to do has failed is because he is little incompetent rich kid who had the skids greased for him his entire life by an America run by and for the investment class.”
“Their inconsistent policies, blustering and saber rattling re: Iran, N. Korea are not having the desired effect.”
Etc. etc. etc.
Please.
Step THROUGH the mirror with your eyes in the air.
“It” is working PERFECTLY.
For “its” own aims.
Which ARE chaos and destruction.
Wake the fuck up.
Nothing could be plainer, once you see what’s up.
And…HOW do you “openly discredit” evil?
By NAMING it. For what it is.
The same old same old.
Just like it always was.
Can it be defeated?
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” – MLK Jr.
That is not theory. It is FACT, based upon the evidence of all of human history.
BET on it.
“You bet your life.” Groucho Marx.
Yup.
Our lives are the only chips that we HAVE to bet, in THIS game.
“Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed over?”
Yup.
Think on it.
Thank you and good night.
And…
Sweet dreams.
AG
Dig it.
Let’s talk, here…
AG
But if we name it, we’re not following the game of politics are we? We would not be adhering to the rules of “framing”. Which is exactly what is wrong with the discourse… if we can’t call things what they really are then what are we, in fact, talking about?
But we can.
I just did…
AG
should I? because you say so?
No.
But you SHOULD consider the possibility.
Especially if nothing else seems to adequately explain what is happening.
AG
P.S. You “do not believe in absolutes”?
Absolutely do not?
Hmmmm…
the overuse of the word “SHOULD.”
Better than “shoulda coulda woulda”, which is rapidly becoming the Democratic theme song.
AG
AG, I’m with you on this one.
I don’t think any sort of religion is necessary to arrive at the conclusion you make. Only the first precepts of ethics are required – “Life is Good, and a Good Life is possible”.
See my previous comment.
I recommend that everyone follow the links in that comment. Be careful, though. When you look into the abyss the abyss looks into you.
AG,
You lost me here with all this talk of “evil”. They are human beings just like you or me. Now the difference is they work in a system that fosters this kind of behavior what ever that my say about their individual ambitions. By demonizing them you make it sound as if regular people can’t possibly change things for the better, i.e., change the system, and this is simple untrue.
In other words calling someone evil you disempower yourself right off the bat.
Get out, talk to people. Connect with them, show what you think is good.
peace
Sorry…there is a point where the actions of human beings leave the realm of relativity.
These people are NOT like me. I hope that they are not like you, either.
Listen, Ed. There is a spiritual amd mental turning point…the one where you decide that you will kill to get what you want. (Not to defend yourself or your people, but to GET WHAT YOU WANT.) After that point, there is rarely any return.That position lends great power to even the stupidest and/or poorest human beings. To one with intelligence and position, it gives dominion.
And those who HAVE that dominon keep it UNTIL IT IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.
In sheer self-defense.
But…the peaceful have to understand what is up before they wage just war.
And THAT is where we are at right now.
“Get out, talk to people. Connect with them, show what you think is good.”???
Do you really think that Dick Cheney can be TALKED TO?
Please…
AG
AG,
Very persuasive, but I’m not convinced.
Also, I didn’t mean talking to Cheney. I could give two shits about Cheney, or any of the others. They just work for the system. Until we have a better more fair system (economic, political) we are going to have to suffer with these people in command, even the smiley faced ones like Bubba or Carter. It’s the way I see it and the way I struggle for a better way.
peace
I have to ask, based on your comments, why the ‘normal’ people have not been able to slow down this group’s destruction in any way. It’s been a series of outrageous acts that aren’t ambiguously moral, but absolutely wrong. How come it always wins, so far?
Sleep.
AG
heh,
That must be deep.
Hey, AG. Thanks for pimping my diary. Thanks for taking the time to read it, as well. So many things have been addressed in it.
Just as good is everywhere, Evil is everywhere.
I have seen the evil in this administration for going on now for 6 years + and the players in it.
It creates so much misery for so many ppl, everwhere.
I have been given a second chance to see what I can do for others and for my love of country. That and much more, is what I endever to do always.
Sometimes we do have to take a very deep breath in order to breathe freash air to go onward and foreward, otherwise we would burn out quickly. That is a luxery we can not afford to do at this time in our history. I find if I plug along inch by inch, not giving in to my fears and huddle down for not being able to do much of any good, I just get back up and get started again in the next path of which I have chosen to take.
We all need each othr to give us strength to fight the next battle. Hugs for the next time we meet to battle on.