« BACK TO FORUM
 Author |
 Post
|
 |
|
Mike
Joined: Aug 31, 2001
Posts: 369 (view all)
Poster Rank:
Blabbermouth
User is
Offline
Gender & Age: Male & 25
Country: Australia
Province/State: Western Australia
City: Perth
|
Good and Evil.
March 18, 2003 - 07:54 AM
|
|
Unlike those who believe there is absolute right and wrong in this life, I subscribe to the idea that there exists a balance, albeit a cruel and loveless balance. On one side exist the oppressive regimes of the world (remembering that there are more than three) are only thrust into the spotlight when the self-interest of an administration can be served by capitalising on the fear and loathing of a ‘true evil.’ An evil that resembles something a lot like one the world was said to have dealt with a decade go. On the other side of the scale is absolute freedom, but it has been tainted by years of political compromise and faded by patriotic zeal. We have all forgotten what it means to be free, for we are blissful in our ignorance.
For as the evil villain clambers an army together, one just crazy enough to think it may prevail; many in this world question how good the good guys really are. Contrary to the claims of our global sheriff, this paranoia is not at all arbitrary. In fact it is absolutely necessary. To question the motivations of the United States – indeed any other nation - is to act like a responsible, 21st century citizen. People must ask themselves not only whose self-interest a war in Iraq serves but also if the means to achieving success comes at too high a cost.
The answer to this question is not dependant on walking the full mile. After all, the world has walked it before. We know what the cost of total war is, for we understand its everlasting repercussions; the public holidays and the march of old and bitter men, whose numbers fade away in time, and we know of those walls riddled with names just like mine and yours.
But we also know that ‘things will never be the same.’ They never were after 9/11. They never were after Ypres, Normandy, Dresden, or even Stalingrad either. After the battle for Baghdad, we can’t expect things to be the same either. This generation will have been witness to the fury of ultra-modern warfare. Burnt into our minds forever will be the memories of seeing far-away homes engulfed in clouds of dust. The life of the Iraqi will seem distant of the troubles of our own existence, but somewhere inside us will remain a quiet grief. We will think we’re sorry for having to do that to them, but our wise leaders claim to be acting out of respect for human life, and that is will comfort us as we work through our 8 hour days and hour long lunches. However, we will move on, and we will forget.
The good guys really aren’t that good. They are not really that different from who we are at all either. They are ordinary, basic creations who think about the same things we do and who recite the same prayers and even have the same dreams. Those who bring us to the brink of war are not extroadinary, visionary people. They are just like us.
That is why we must cease using violence as a means to an end. We cannot bring a conclusion to the reign of terror by using such an absolute and unforgiving method as violence. If we do, we manifest the most treacherous enemy the forces of good have and will ever see. An enemy we have acknowledged and are resolved to destroy. Evil.
It may come in many forms; through indifference, a lack of empathy, bigotry, or ignorance (or any combination thereof). But what plagues the well-meaning people of the world right now is the misconception that right and wrong are absolute, free of a middle-ground. We must understand that there exists in the fog of war a grey area, one where civilians, soldiers, bombs, and officers come together and create one great, big, god-awful mess. We can pretend that it was always going to happen, but it does not lessen the cost
We cannot pretend to be carrying out good when we must use evil to achieve it. Believing that leads us into an abyss not unlike that of Nazism. The people of the U.S cannot expect to be led by a President who is right by inheritance. The Bill of Rights was created by ordinary and unremarkable men who had one brilliant idea; in pledge of a truth they believed was self-evident - they claimed that all men were created equal. One day we will recognise that we exist as equals too.
- - -
What are your thoughts on this? I wrote this to let off a little steam, and I only saw its discussion value once id finished...
- - -
Pred.
|
|
back to top |
link to this post
|
|
Ayodeji Thomas Adewunmi
Joined: Jul 8, 2002
Posts: 30 (view all)
Poster Rank:
Talkative
User is
Offline
Gender & Age: Male, 28
Country: Nigeria
City: Ile-Ife
|
Re: Good and Evil.
March 18, 2003 - 08:44 AM
|
|
what a wonderful piece...well said Mike.
It's rather unfortunate that a world as ours will be taken hold of by a family's grievance (so to say).
The so-called Anglo-American led-alliance would only bring about pain, sorrow, despair, & tragedy on to the face of our world: either we like it or not!
Why as Bush refused to wait for the UN Security Council's backing on a possible strick against Iraq?
Is it sensible at all at this stage to launch at attack, when millions of people are out there dying of diseases associated with Poverty, & from the hands of Chronic Hunger. Why has Bush and Tony Blair decided to cause more pain to millions under the pretence of safe-guiding our World?
Are these two so-called friends: Bush & Blair, hard of hearing or they remain adamant to the cry of millions of their country-men voice, saying NO TO WAR. A War against Iraq is a war against Humanity, & not only a war on peace & unity!
In the next 24 hours, I am convinced Bush will go ahead with his plans. But remember, Bush plan's is more to unseating Saddam Hussein, and rather toWeapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), or Biological Weapons.
Why should Bush then wage war on Humanity because of Saddam. Let me not talk about Saddam now!!! He has his own shortcoming & hidden agendas.
Whether Saddam or no Saddam; Bush should stop his proposed action.
Again, there is more to this so-called good guys, they act in a way as not to compromise there self-interest. All they would ever think of is about there own agenda & preservation.
What a evil world we now live in. Why should a country withdraw its foriegn aid to another because the latter has refused to cooperate in the light of a possible attack on Iraq. Alas, it is one of the most horrible foriegn policies I have ever-heard or since in the history of mankind.
To my peer, it's our future. Let oppose any WAR against HUMANITY.
Peace.
Ayodeji.
|
|
back to top |
link to this post
|
|
amy
Joined: Feb 3, 2003
Posts: 24 (view all)
Poster Rank:
Talkative
User is
Offline
Gender & Age: Female, 28
Country: Canada
|
think about submitting this as an article?
March 18, 2003 - 09:01 AM
|
|
it would be great for the zine. 
|
|
back to top |
link to this post
|
|
Ayodeji Thomas Adewunmi
Joined: Jul 8, 2002
Posts: 30 (view all)
Poster Rank:
Talkative
User is
Offline
Gender & Age: Male, 28
Country: Nigeria
City: Ile-Ife
|
Re: Good and Evil.
March 18, 2003 - 09:15 AM
|
|
Hey plush...
thanks. you can also drop your opinoin here.
|
|
back to top |
link to this post
|
|
Cara
Joined: Oct 1, 2002
Posts: 15 (view all)
Poster Rank:
User is
Offline
Gender & Age: Female, 31
Country: Australia
Province/State: Queensland
City: Gold Coast
|
sleeping sickness of the soul
March 18, 2003 - 09:52 AM
|
|
I also believe that there is no right or wrong in the world. There exists only peoples perceptions of right or wrong, which is shaped by their (our) surroundings and who we choose to be in relation to that. For most there seems to be no choice.
I have grown up in a world where the freedom of choice has been relatively great. My upbringing has shown me that I can choose who I want to love, and that I don't have to love that person forever, that I can choose whether or not to be baptised, whether I want to be religious, I can write what I want, think what I want, I can study, work and play wherever I want. Yet in my minds eye I am becoming increasingly more restricted in the choices I make for myself. My inner freedom is slowly suffocating in a world of opinions, rules, and spiritual disenchantment. I feel a numbness creep over me whenever I wonder where I am going be in the future. It seems that society feels that there is a right way for me to go, or a wrong way. And every so often I get an urge to take the easy road and slide into the so-called orginised world of nine-to-five, and turn off the light inside me that so desperately wants to take me on a path that is out of the ordinary. Hmmm... is that the right way?
It is too easy for us to slide into a place where we are accepted by the people around us, where the responsibility of our thoughts, beliefs and morals lie heavily on someone elses shoulders.
So upon reflection I cannot help but appreciate why so many people in the U.S, Britain, Australia and other countries are so willing to support their governments and the thus societies that have given the choice to live the life that they do, and ultimately support a war that is so fundamentally corrupt in its motivation that it is bound for devastaion. For our respective societies can so swiftly and discretely rob us of our ability to discover and live our lives by our own truths, and instead thrive on the truths of others.
For this reason I do not believe that anyone in the world today are right or wrong... however, the problem is that so many people continue to be lazy and accept other peoples truths as their own to avoid realising that they don't really know themselves. While the voices of those who so passionately struggle to be heard increasingly threaten to make people think for themselves, and are thus increasingly muted. (Perhaps what we need is more effective means of communication.... but really.... I could not imagine how??)
Ultimately, it is because of our fear of change that so many people continue to support the regimes that support their own way of life...no matter how oppressive, or liberal they may be....we are bound to them just the same. Is it really freedom that we are fighting for, and if so....then what exactly is Iraq fighting for??? Perhaps it is really suppression that allows us to continue to live "peacefully" in our own societies... in which case.... our lack of inner freedom will result in the continued spread of the worlds worst and most widespread disease....the sleeping sickness of the soul?
I don't have answers, and I'm confused. Like many others today I have found myself preferring to talk about the weather, rather than war. So I have struggled to make any sense out of my thoughts and feelings on the topic...so apologies if I made no sense at all.
and pred... this was meant to be a reply...but ended up an essay... and almost completely strayed from your original discussion post.... I have a bad habit of that!!
for now, take care, be well, and don't forget who you are.
Love Cara
|
|
back to top |
link to this post
|
|
michael
Joined: Mar 18, 2003
Posts: 1 (view all)
Poster Rank:
Tongue-tied
User is
Offline
Country: Canada
Province/State: Ontario
City: Toronto
|
Re: Good and Evil.
March 19, 2003 - 10:22 AM
|
|
The story was good but I don't think that there is just good in someone they will have a bit of good and evil in everyone. I hope that there is no war in the world because it not far to some countrys.
|
|
back to top |
link to this post
|
|
|
Display posts from:
|
|
Home
Community
