»
Main Forums
»
Passions in Prose
»
Necessary Evil
| Passions in Prose |
|
Necessary Evil |
|
|
DreamEvil Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 2396 |
Necessary Evil, quite a statement and concept that is to encompass and grasp. I believe that there are necessary evils in this world and things that are evil by necessity. Is Evil ever necessary? I believe so. It is as necessary as breathing and as fundamental to the make-up of man as love is. I would argue that duality is a part of mankind's nature, meaning that evil and good exist in all of us and that we all perform evil acts, as well as good, not only by intent but by design. Intentional evil is then the morally repulsive issue. That is further broken down into belief, as what you believe to be evil will differ from another's beliefs. You could suggest that taboo could be used as a measure of evil but taboo is not universal. If you commit an act, and believe it to be wrong then you have committed an evil act. If you do not believe it was evil, then you haven't. That is on a personal level of course, not a societal one. There is sometimes a degree of justification to an intentionally evil act being necessary. For a parent to resort to dealing drugs or prostitution or stealing to feed a starving family, is entirely understandable, except by those people never having been in that situation. They cannot grasp the necessity of it because it is outside the realm of their experience. Further, they cannot just accept that it is so. That willful pride is an unnecessary evil. While there are many systems in place to help in circumstances like this, there are those that slip between the cracks of any bureaucratic system. On a societal level, capitol punishment is murder, evil, and sometimes necessary to protect the greater good. Therefore there are also different levels and degrees of intentional evil and the necessity of it. Unintentional evil can also be necessary and is usually the result of circumstance. If an online lover were to ask you to come visit them in another state, would you do what was necessary to garner the funds to get to them? If that meant selling pets, or selling blood, would you do it? If a parent dies, would you hitch hike across country to arrive for the funeral? Let's try a more extreme example. Cannibalism is considered a taboo by most cultures. Some do practice it out of religious obligation even today. Is it evil or does it depend on the circumstances? If faced with starvation, would you feast upon the flesh of your fellow man or starve and in turn become the meal for your less scrupulous comrades in starvation? I would gladly, though not eagerly, sup upon the flesh of one dead to avoid being eaten myself. 'Tis self-preservation and is a powerful motivator, even going so far as to nullify the guilt of consumption. Those that would abstain would eventually feed those who don't. The necessity is determined by perceptions once again. If you want to live, you eat. If you want to be with a lover, or feed your children, or even provide them with a Christmas, you will be willing to do what is necessary. Depending on the strength of the perceived necessity, you will go to more extreme lengths to achieve that goal. Remember that evil is subjective. Evil may not be necessary, but there will always be a necessity for evil, solely for survival or to justify the good that will result. ©1999 DreamEvil ------------------ Nothing is worse than sorrow, except perhaps disdain. I'll be myself tomorrow, tonight I'll feel the pain. DreamEvil© |
||
| © Copyright 1999 DreamEvil - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
merlynh Member
since 1999-09-26
Posts 411deer park, wa |
Heavy subject. Well looked at from your side and ideas. I often wonder how much reading on some subjects you do before you write your stuff. I read too much myself and was going to refer you to some web sites of the sixteenth century and seventeenth century where people knew something about things a lot clearer than we do now. If you disagree that I suggest that you do some reading and find out for yourself. I'll give you a hint. Evil has it's own place. For those who need it, yet not everything is evil as we think it is. I trust in the Lord. Evil has the one's who trust in it. |
||
|
Michael
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-13
Posts 7666California |
A very well written albeit controversal piece, Dream. Evil indeed is neccessary in many ways, though I will refuse to extend further my points of view at this time. I am very interested to see what type of responses the piece invokes, however. Good work my Dark friend. Michael |
||
|
DreamEvil Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 2396 |
"Well looked at from your side and ideas." That is precisely the point of an opinion paper. Feel free to voice your own opinion, though I wonder at the clarity of the 16th and 17th century individuals. Perhaps if you were to give specific names and references, it would be more conducive to strengthening your opinion. Could you please define Good and Evil? Without one, the other would lose all value. How could you know joy if you had not known sorrow? Evil may well exist to contrast Good enough to make it visible. ------------------ Nothing is worse than sorrow, except perhaps disdain. I'll be myself tomorrow, tonight I'll feel the pain. DreamEvil© [This message has been edited by DreamEvil (edited 10-14-1999).] |
||
|
Systematic Decay Senior Member
since 1999-09-15
Posts 1301That place with padded walls and funny people in white......... |
I believe that evil is like beauty: it is in the eyes of the beholder. It must be looked at by the individual situation, and an individuals own morals, not by the standardized idea of evil. For one person or group of people to take their beliefs of what is and is not evil and try to force an entire society to believe in them and base all punishment on them.....that is an evil in itself. ------------------ "Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage." -Billy Corgan- |
||
|
Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
OK, will you at least give me something to argue with you about??? i completely agree on every point so far. I would indeed rather resort to the "necessary evil," of cannibalism than to die. That person is dead, they no longer feel the pain of their body. I know that my wish is that were I to die, someone could benefit from my death. If that benefit comes from eating my dead flesh, than so be it. Inasmuch as other necessary evils, I believe you left out a ton, probably because it would take you forever to write them. Punishing a child. Incarceration. Capitalism. Religious sufferage.  |
||
|
Watcher666 Senior Member
since 1999-10-13
Posts 1606 |
Very well written.I do agree the evil is as one see's it.To me, is evil something that is done intentionally with the intent to hurt for the pleasure of hurting.As for the clarity of the 16th and 17th centuries I'm sure the nobility of France and the Witches in Salem would greatly disagree. ------------------ Illusion...what we see and what we do...it's all up to you. |
||
|
JennyLee Senior Member
since 1999-09-01
Posts 1461Northwestern, NJ. |
Many thoughts here will provoke debate..as it should. Very well stated. Jenny |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||