When one takes the tactic of evil to defeat it, one becomes that which is being fought. If good, caring, progressive, giving people bend the rules a little for the greater good, the slippery slope snowballs oh so quickly, and they end up just a competing faction of evil. It makes the system stable. Change will never come from within — not unless things get much much worse first. Why, then after so much seeming historical negativity, did I begin with the claim that there is equal optimism to be found?
The answer is as simple and clear as the argument that evil will always win; Life is not, and never has been, about the large scale political and social details which are the focus of so much attention. Life is about cold ice cream or a juicy orange on a hot summer day. Life is an engrossing book, or coming home tired but satisfied after a successful day of work.
Life is friends, music, sport, relaxation, children, learning, conversations, all of these little tiny things that fill up each day that seem to pale in comparison to the significance of war and famine — but in truth those things are only important because they interrupt those little things for a while, those little things which are, in fact, everything.
Of course it would be nice were it possible to end all war forever. But after its over, and new lines are drawn on the maps, the sunshine will still be there. Love, which exists only inside of us, will exist so long as a human is still breathing on this planet.
Saving the world is futile. The world has been as it is for all practical purposes forever, and there seems to be no good reason to think it will not continue to be. This is not reason to despair. Just the opposite. For this entire time, everywhere, there exists happiness. Happiness is not merely a reflection of the political system one lives under, or income.
Happiness is an emotion that we, as sentient beings, are capable of experiencing. And so we do. If you can not save the world, if one person can almost never make a real and lasting difference, it gives good people a little more flexibility. One does not fault them self for not stopping the eruption of volcanoes or earthquakes.
You may not always see those answers but if you keep on searching, you will gain some peace and understanding. Trials stand out starkly on the backdrop of genuine faith. The confusing trials of life can refine you whether they make sense or not. Remember that God loves you no matter what you go through, see, hear about, or feel. God so loved the whole world that he gave his only begotten son.
That may have seemed like an injustice at the time, but it was actually the plan of a sovereign God who wanted to make atonement for all sin once and for all. When Jesus rose again and then left his disciples in the world, he said that he would send another helper.
He did. God will eventually bring every injustice and wrong action into His light. This will allow the mourners and the victims to be made new again Revelation God never overlooks his people when they are mistreated. He uses it, in some way, for their good. The good are sometimes like whispers in the middle of a large, loud chaotic room. Nevertheless, keep any eye out for them. Treasure them within your heart and soul. Communicate them to others.
Keep the good alive along with the bad. People who are decent, friendly, and agreeable tend to be unsuccessful because they are outmaneuvered or overwhelmed by others who are not so decent, friendly, or agreeable.
SOED 1 The adaptation of political policy, actions, or judgement to circumstances or opportunity, esp. Late 19th century. Merriam-Webster Definition of opportunism: the art, policy, or practice of taking advantage of opportunities or circumstances often with little regard for principles or consequences. It is the part " esp. The following gives the impression that people indulge in opportunism because they have the feeling that it works. Some people regard an opportunist stance positively as a legitimate choice.
Thus, the British Conservative statesman Stanley Baldwin is supposed to have quipped:. In opportunism, life is viewed as presenting "an endless series of opportunities", where the pattern of one's responses defines their identity. It can also be viewed as striving to realize or express certain principles. However, the moral dilemma implied by opportunism concerns the conflict of self-interest with the interests of others, or with following a principle: either to do what one wants or to do "what is the right thing to do".
Thus, substantively, opportunism refers to the acting on opportunities in a self-interested, biased or one-sided manner that conflicts or contrasts in some way with one or more general rule, law, norm, or principle. You can actually use the word "Machiavellian", as Wordnik defines it:. If you're not cheating, you're not trying various attributions, including here.
If the goal is to win , not to be good, those who are willing to do unethical things will be more likely to win. History is written by the victors various attributions, interesting review here Worry about winning first - when you win, you can always justify your actions after the fact.
Thus, having to do unethical things should not deter you from winning. There is no good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to use it - Lord Voldemort. Anything that deters you from winning, any hesitation, is a weakness - including thinking in terms of good and evil.
And, as answered by neo-logophile, Nice guys finish last - because winning requires ruthlessness. Those who are powerful can do what they wish unchallenged, even if their action is in fact unjustified. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group.
Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Asked 5 months ago.
0コメント