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The world is whatever colour you want it to be. What's white to you will inevitably be someone else's black or grey.
I'm beginning to confuse myself.
I'm beginning to confuse myself.
Black and White, or...?
- Thread starter Tentadrilus
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The world is in color, period.
Actually, TBH, I've no idea what the trog is going on about this time.
My only observation on the same expression is to say that the belief in evil is the defacto cause of evil. Meaning that, those who see the world in black and while, without exception, see themselves as white, and anyone unlike themselves as black (racial connotations aside). Everyone is either for or against them, and there's no justification for thinking any other way than they themselves do.
Hitler's most vile act, was not taking part in the slaughter of 6 million Jews, but becoming the perfect symbol of evil that future generations could use to vilify other powerful leaders, and thus justify any actions against them and their people, no matter how heinous, in the name of preventing future evil for the greater good of the world. To this day, every country that's about to do horrible harm to another, justifies it by comparing that country's leader to Hitler. (As we ourselves did with Saddam, Milosevic, and even Noriega.)
Belief in Satan is likely best extreme historical illustration of the phenomenon. How much evil has been done in the name of driving out this creature that seeks to cause man to do evil? Between the book burning, the Jew burning, and the witch burning... Nevermind the extinction of the Cathars, and the fanning of the flames of so many wars, and more recently, of course, exploding ones self along with hundreds of civilians in the name of fighting "The Great Satan".
There is no true evil in the real world. People have motivations behind their actions. Nearly everyone justifies to themselves actions that may seem horrible to others. People, however, forget this, and use the justification of the existence of this, really, non-existent thing (pure evil), to bring it into existence, in spades.
People who have the black and white view of the world are much easier to control, however. This is why we encourage it, and innondate our children with a barrage of stories that are always extremely black and white. Some never grow out of it, and after so many years of being flooded with tales of G.I. Joe, believe that all enemies of the United States, for instance, are Cobra Commanders, living in their basement fortresses, doing evil for evil's sake, or out of some simplistic blind greed or desire for power. Once you rob someone of their humanity, you can justify any act against them, and it's so tempting to do, as it raises your own position closer to God in the process.
Actually, TBH, I've no idea what the trog is going on about this time.
My only observation on the same expression is to say that the belief in evil is the defacto cause of evil. Meaning that, those who see the world in black and while, without exception, see themselves as white, and anyone unlike themselves as black (racial connotations aside). Everyone is either for or against them, and there's no justification for thinking any other way than they themselves do.
Hitler's most vile act, was not taking part in the slaughter of 6 million Jews, but becoming the perfect symbol of evil that future generations could use to vilify other powerful leaders, and thus justify any actions against them and their people, no matter how heinous, in the name of preventing future evil for the greater good of the world. To this day, every country that's about to do horrible harm to another, justifies it by comparing that country's leader to Hitler. (As we ourselves did with Saddam, Milosevic, and even Noriega.)
Belief in Satan is likely best extreme historical illustration of the phenomenon. How much evil has been done in the name of driving out this creature that seeks to cause man to do evil? Between the book burning, the Jew burning, and the witch burning... Nevermind the extinction of the Cathars, and the fanning of the flames of so many wars, and more recently, of course, exploding ones self along with hundreds of civilians in the name of fighting "The Great Satan".
There is no true evil in the real world. People have motivations behind their actions. Nearly everyone justifies to themselves actions that may seem horrible to others. People, however, forget this, and use the justification of the existence of this, really, non-existent thing (pure evil), to bring it into existence, in spades.
People who have the black and white view of the world are much easier to control, however. This is why we encourage it, and innondate our children with a barrage of stories that are always extremely black and white. Some never grow out of it, and after so many years of being flooded with tales of G.I. Joe, believe that all enemies of the United States, for instance, are Cobra Commanders, living in their basement fortresses, doing evil for evil's sake, or out of some simplistic blind greed or desire for power. Once you rob someone of their humanity, you can justify any act against them, and it's so tempting to do, as it raises your own position closer to God in the process.
Don't forget Saddam Hussein, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Emperor Hirohito, and others.
While the first two may actually be quite bad, one was not as bad as he was made to appear, and the other is purposefully mistranslated frequently for the sake of vilifying his image (albeit he is a fool).
Now, while people, universally, may have their own views on a hypothetical application of color to explain their thoughts concerning human nature... I am more interested in them individually, person to person. I view the world as one of vice, gluttony, desire, success, and failure. The mega-rich are considered successful, the powerful gluttonous, the poor failures, and the middle-class full of desire. As you may be able to tell, my views are changing in shape, form, wording, and position. That is a major bonus to a serious discussion as this. ^^
Thothie... I like your take on this matter.
I have to ask... how easily manipulated do you feel I am? I feel I may, perhaps, be very easily manipulated - while I love training, I was convinced to start MMA training by a friend who has been doing it for more than two years now... he may have gone about it in a friendly manner, and I may be enjoying it now, but, technically, I was manipulated into starting it up (albeit I am thankful for having been manipulated).
While the first two may actually be quite bad, one was not as bad as he was made to appear, and the other is purposefully mistranslated frequently for the sake of vilifying his image (albeit he is a fool).
Now, while people, universally, may have their own views on a hypothetical application of color to explain their thoughts concerning human nature... I am more interested in them individually, person to person. I view the world as one of vice, gluttony, desire, success, and failure. The mega-rich are considered successful, the powerful gluttonous, the poor failures, and the middle-class full of desire. As you may be able to tell, my views are changing in shape, form, wording, and position. That is a major bonus to a serious discussion as this. ^^
Thothie... I like your take on this matter.
I have to ask... how easily manipulated do you feel I am? I feel I may, perhaps, be very easily manipulated - while I love training, I was convinced to start MMA training by a friend who has been doing it for more than two years now... he may have gone about it in a friendly manner, and I may be enjoying it now, but, technically, I was manipulated into starting it up (albeit I am thankful for having been manipulated).
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