Back   OpEd News
Font
PageWidth
Original Content at
https://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_katrin_r_061205_putting__good__and__.htm
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

December 6, 2006

Putting 'Good' and 'Evil' into Perspective through the eyes of a 'Political Agnostic'

By Katrin R.

As is often the case with money, the mind is mishandled, and abused. It tends to form cooperations. Even more frequently, people easily become too comfortable, and as a result careless, in relation to their thinking, belief systems, values, and use of language and words.

::::::::

The mind is kind of like money. It cannot make you happy, but it can make life easier, and even make you more free. It can also turn you into a slave, greatly complicate life, and cause misery. It can cause people to be totally out of touch with themselves, others, and reality. Often, just as is the case with money, the mind is mishandled, and abused. It tends to form cooperations. Even more frequently, people easily become too comfortable, and as a result careless, in relation to their thinking, belief systems, values, and use of language and words. 'Progressive liberals' place great value on the mind, and their political beliefs are based on reason, rational thought, and a positive value system. They often criticizes the masses of people for their unwillingness, and inability to think rationally, as well as for being too influenced by 'main stream media', fear, and emotion in general. They feel, that people should be motivated by reason, thought, education, and reality, in spite of the fact that rational thought, and reasonable behavior is almost as rare as gold, in reality. The 'progressive liberal's' thoughts are almost always in reaction to everything they see is wrong with the world. They accuse the masses of not living in reality, yet they cannot accept, that the masses of people are a reality. My point is, that the left wing's extreme, and all encompassing disapproval of the right wing, is identical to other relationships with similar underlying dynamics. A good example is Psychiatry's devaluation of anything relating to religious, or spiritual beliefs. There is a clear sense of superiority in Psychiatry's attitude towards something that is solely based on beliefs, and not grounded in reality. (and this also involves the masses)...when it is quite obvious to me, that the reason Psychiatry so greatly disapproves of religion is based on the fact, that they are so much alike. Psychiatry is practiced much like a religion, and based on little else but beliefs. And it probably will not be in my lifetime, when a great inventor will make history in his being the first to prove, that the soul is backed up by a science as real, clear, accurate and precise as any other science. Perspective: The words 'Freedom', and 'Liberty' have different meanings to different people, and under different circumstances, and in different situations. Not everyone thinks alike. I would say that Bush is clearly expressing his freedom, and taking liberties, that are not in violation with the definition of the words. To you, it may mean Democracy, or freedom from slavery. To others, freedom is slavery. (i.e. a person who eats himself to death, because nobody prevents him from eating) To yet another, it may mean he does everything he wants, as long as he can get away with it. Some people only feel truly free as slaves. Democracy is not free. There is no government more difficult to maintain than Democracy. Freedom and Responsibility go hand in hand. Not every person wants, or can handle the responsibility. Freedom requires strict boundaries. (This is an example.) Killing is not evil. To make such judgement, the circumstances must be considered. The mind, and state of the person/people when they killed, and for what reason, and under the presenting circumstances. Love and hate belong together. If you cannot feel hate, you also cannot feel love. Same with ecstasy and agony, fear and anger, rage and helplessness. They are pairs that belong together. And this also is true for peace and war. War in itself is not evil. It's incredibly traumatic, and it changes people. You cannot use any prior or formal learning, or civil understanding to evaluate, judge, and generalize something as complex as war, and it's aftermath...perhaps for generations to come. Todd Huffman recently wrote an article, Our Christian Nation Should Shop Instead For A National Conscience. I am wondering, if perhaps the reason we don't have a national conscience is, because we lack as a nation, a 'shared experience'. As horrible as a war is, it does not discriminate. It brings out the worst, and the best in people. And even, if not everyone is affected in exactly the same way, it is still a shared experience, in that nobody is left unaffected. More so, everyone is exposed to the aftermath of war. No person can walk through the ruins, and the destruction, and deny what happened. It is perhaps more so the aftermath of war, than the war itself, which brings people together. There is no winner, only loss. The rebuilding of the country is a shared experience, and in some way, people at that time all become equals...much, as is true with people when they die. The judgement goes away. People need each other. The sharing of the experience also makes the experience bearable. And, it can create a national conscience, even if there was none before, as well as a sense of shared responsibility. Take Germany, as an example. They have a Democracy that makes ours look like a Dictatorship. Taxes are higher than they are here, but you get everything for it. Here you pay a little less, but you get relatively little, if anything for it. Rich people pay the most, of course. Healthcare is not only available to all, but health insurance is mandatory. (even if you only pay $1, because it's all you can afford) Rich people can purchase additional private insurance, and they can pay for additional comforts, and luxuries. Childcare is free. Universities are free. Every time a woman has a baby, she receives child support payments. This is true for both single, and wed mothers. An employer cannot just fire an employee whenever he feels like it. Public schools provide the highest level of education. There is no such thing as charity, because everyone is provided for. My point is, that this responsible system was the result of the war, and the suffering, and the guilt, and the damage done. People learned, and matured from the experience, and the children of those who had lived through the war were also made, and held responsible. They were affected by the war, as if they had been there. (on a different, but real level) I grew up in Germany, and my mother had lived through the war. We were drilled in matters of politics. We were taught to discriminate against ourselves, and to hate our country. It was almost, as if we had to apologize for existing, and for being so spoiled. All the guilt was projected unto us. But, we are a generation of Germans, where nobody could possibly be more safe. The opening of the wall, and the East pouring in, was a huge challenge for West Germany, and an enormous economic sacrifice. Yet, it was the right thing to do, and Germany took total responsibility for their sins. The war, and it's inherent evil, turned us into socially responsible human beings. 'Every act of creation is first an act of destruction'...Pablo Picasso.

Authors Bio:
The author lives in Eugene, OR. Interests include 'Group Psychotherapy' and 'Psychodrama'. She is also an RN. One 'Favorite Quote': 'Insanity is the exception in individuals. In groups, parties, peoples and times it is the rule.' ......Friedrich Nietzsche

Back