To live accordingly
I’m deeply aware of how strangely tricky it is to make goodness seem relevant or, at least, as perversely thrilling as evil. As perpetually horrified as we are of terror and brutality and war, we are riveted by them, and we let them define our take on reality. The communications miracles of the 21st century make wondrous connections possible, and yet, they also bring us images of horror with an immediacy and vividness that are debilitating.
Violent images seem altogether more solid and substantial, more decisive and telling, somehow, than kindness, goodness, and lived peace. It is easy to bow down before these images and give in to the despair they preach. But if I’ve learned anything, it is that goodness prevails, not in the absence of reasons to despair, but in spite of them.
If we wait for clean heroes and clear choices and evidence on our side to act, we will wait forever, and my experiences to now have taught me that people who bring light into the world wrench it out of darkness, and contend openly with darkness all of their days. For me, their goodness is more interesting, more genuinely inspiring because of that reality. The spiritual geniuses of the ages and of the everyday simply don’t let despair have the last word, nor do they close their eyes to its pictures or deny the enormity of its facts. They say, ‘Yes, and …,’ and they wake up the next day, and the day after that, to live accordingly.
nothing is intrinsically good or evil, what we find to be “good” is based solely on our own personal system of values (or the general values of a society) and the same for “evil”. unfortunately, as you’ve pointed out, in this highly technically advanced age, with this sensationalist mentality, evil, violence, etc, in all its graphic nature, seems to be more prevelant. it seems we are more focused on wresting horrific reactions from the masses, than in cultivating insight, beauty, awareness, etc. another great piece, btw.