Very well written. History is littered with stories of good people doing horrific things in the name of some cause that is imagined to be for some greater good. What it has taught those who choose to really look at it is that the end desired result never justifies the horror of the means that it is thought will lead to that end. The means used actually create the end result. When the means are hatred and hypocrisy the end result is always hatred and hypocrisy. So many are blind to the lessons of history.
Amen to all of this. What is horrible is that people are often put into terifying situations where they aren't brave or strong enough to overcome them, and who can blame them really. Who are we to judge one another. On the other hand, we all have to navigate our way through this world as best we can. World leaders don't get there by being nice. Most of the time they have to compromise so much if their integrity and that's the price they pay--and the price we all pay. I've made decisions myself to walk away from leadership positions because I refused to compromise. The justification is always, well, if I make this one compromise, I can make up for it by doing good down the road. And maybe that's how it has to be. But for me personally it hasn't been possible.
Very well written. History is littered with stories of good people doing horrific things in the name of some cause that is imagined to be for some greater good. What it has taught those who choose to really look at it is that the end desired result never justifies the horror of the means that it is thought will lead to that end. The means used actually create the end result. When the means are hatred and hypocrisy the end result is always hatred and hypocrisy. So many are blind to the lessons of history.
Amen to all of this. What is horrible is that people are often put into terifying situations where they aren't brave or strong enough to overcome them, and who can blame them really. Who are we to judge one another. On the other hand, we all have to navigate our way through this world as best we can. World leaders don't get there by being nice. Most of the time they have to compromise so much if their integrity and that's the price they pay--and the price we all pay. I've made decisions myself to walk away from leadership positions because I refused to compromise. The justification is always, well, if I make this one compromise, I can make up for it by doing good down the road. And maybe that's how it has to be. But for me personally it hasn't been possible.
Walking away in those situations, in my opinion, is self preservation. The worst poverty to live in is poverty of the soul.