I do not know how to put good in the world.
I can be kind rather than harmful. I can choose to smile rather than glare. I can throw my money behind causes I actually believe in.
But it all starts to feel pretty passive and insignificant when I measure the bad.
What if, to actually cause some good, you have to act a little bad? Or at least a little “bad.” Be aggressive, upset the apple cart, maybe even offend someone’s sensibilities… Part of me says yes, especially when I see others’ ideas of right lining up exactly with my ideas of wrong. In fact, looking back, I see that my eyes were most opened when my ideals were most challenged – when my emotions were most vulnerable.
Thank you to those who took a swing at what I thought I knew.
One of the biggest problems might be letting others think they already have all the answers. I’ve heard children, so confident in their philosophies, spouting untruths and perpetuating ignorance, and why? Because those they trust taught them in simple answers from Us vs Them viewpoints.
I hope my children see me as accepting of my small understanding, rather than willfully ignorant.
I read about a teacher who wanted so desperately to introduce young minds to the beauty of existence, or at least one aspect of it. The resistance he received astounded me, and made me sad for the resistors. It made me disgusted with the mindsets that had been thrust upon them.
It is good to question. It is good to challenge. It is bad to speak authoritatively on topics we misunderstand. I’ve been guilty of this on more than one occasion. Again, thank you to those who called me out on my arrogance.
We will not always agree on right and wrong, and sometimes it’s worth verbally hashing it out. Perhaps knowing that is the first step to doing real good.