He rode a blazing saddle
He wore a shiny star
His job to offer battle
To bad men near and far
There was a time when people generally recognized that there was good and bad in the world. People were raised with enough of a grounding that most agreed on the basic behaviors that constituted good or bad. And it wasn't enough to try to understand or sympathize. Bad had to be fought. Wherever bad men did bad things the only hope has always been a good man or good woman who will stand up and stop them. Offer battle. The bad guy may back down, but force or the credible threat of force is the only thing that has ever stopped someone bent on violence.
I have my personal definition of bad and evil. A bad guy will hurt someone to get what he wants. Evil will hurt someone even if there is nothing to gain. It's simple, but it works for me... until you get into the whiny bullshit that hurt feelings are the same as being injured or that someone not giving you stuff is the same as someone taking your stuff away.
But there I go, being old school again.
12 comments:
Cryptic to say the least, is this a political statement of some kind?
I am not sure what you are talking about here., are you equating a sense of entitlement with evil or what?
Rory,
Ever watched the movie"Boondock Saints"? Kind of falls in with where you seem to be going with your thoughts.
I guess I'm old school too. I think this type of thing that you speak of should be taught to our children now more than ever.
Bit of a tangent:
My son recently mentioned a song he liked. I agreed it was a good song, and told him we could pick it up from the store later on. He said "I know how I can just download it and then you won't have to pay."
I replied, "I can tuck the CD into my purse, and walk out without paying, too. It's the same thing."
This led into a long discussion about theft of intellectual property and my belief that taking something without paying for it is wrong. He came up with 4th-grader versions of all of the arguments about freedom of information and if people didn't want to share it they wouldn't publish it and it's not physical, so it's not really stealing to download music.
But I explained that it's really simple. Taking something that somebody else created, without their permission, that you know they would not give you freely, without giving them compensation that they are due, is wrong. Period. It doesn't mean you're evil, it may not even mean you're a bad person, but it does mean that you are a thief.
Sometimes people want to believe that all of life is so full of grey areas that there is no 'good or bad', no 'right or wrong'. But the world isn't always that complex. There is right, and there is wrong. There are bad people, and there is evil. And good people have a responsibility to stand up for what is right, and oppose that which is wrong.
I like old school. Just sayin.
My little sister is raising two great kids, and I'm pleased to say she is raising them to be decent non-monstery human beings :D
That said, if you see Clair acting up or being bossy, feel free to say "Unh-uh!" and shake your head sternly. (she takes after me :P)
Zzrzinn the answer to your question is in the post, If they are hurting someone to gain it because they feel entittled to it = bad. If they hurt someone because they feel entittled to or just because they can = evil. My interpretation of Rory's definition of bad & evil.
For everyone, want an interesting way to get familiar with a blog start at the first post and read forward. There was so much stuff I wanted to post on but had remember that thought and conversation happened 5,4,3,2 or last year. Almost made it to the most curent post, but brokedown on the previous two posts.
Thanks Rory for alittle over month of thought provoking reading and thoughts, lots to digest. If your wondering how I came to your blog it was after reading your book and was looking for more information.
Thanks Again,
Josh A. Kruschke
Austin, TX
Ps. If your ever in Austin again I would like to meet you and would gladly pay for a seminar. Also going (Maybenot, flooting a phantisy around in my head about moving to OR and following you around like a puppy till you teach me the secrets of Rory-Ryu. I'm leaning on it probably not a good idea to stock an ex-correction officer that may or maynot have a gun and wouldn't need one anyway.) to check out the Krav Maga dojo from when you were here.
This is for Steve P. I would count my self as a civi as I do have some experience & training with conflict resolution, but have come to realize it's pretty lacking in the physical. :-)
Ps. Your first post was best first post ever jumped right in and never let up. Take this for what it's worth as this is the first blog that I've ever read and I know you don't write this just for us but to get thing clear in your head.
Thanks Again.
Hi Rory, It's Joe..Rocky..from the S.O.. Just wanted to say hi. I started a blog too but it's more of a health and fitness thing: www.MoJoeFitness.com and click "blog". Even if I don't get any followers, it's sort of a fun way to vent ideas and feelings about stuff! Hope all is well and I have your well-read book sitting on our little table in the Corbett Safety Action Team Office.
Josh- Glad you've enjoyed the blog.
Rocky!!! So cool to see you here. How's the business coming along?
Rory, I appreciate your distinction between "bad" and "evil." I find it irritating (and dangerous) when people confuse the two -- tactics that work well on one group are ineffective (or can get you killed) with the other.
Good point, Irene -- gray only exists because there is black and white.
And a Happy (Belated) Veterans Day to those of you in service to the rest of us. My heartfelt thanks and gratitude.
Terry Pratchett said it best
"And sin, young man, is treating people as things including yourself."
"But there are many worse sins."
"But they starts off with people as things."
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