Can We Be Heroes Again? Confronting the Banality of Modern Evil

[@LikeStoriesofOld]

Hey all, this was quite a challenging video to make, lots of complicated subjects intersecting with each other, very difficult to do them all justice but I hope it will give you some food for thought :) These videos are largely made possible thanks to my amazing patrons, if you want to support me as well, and help me to keep making videos, please check out: www.patreon.com/LikeStoriesofOld Thanks!

[@Amaraa0822]

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!!!!

[@idontknow3108]

Yo upload vids on other platforms too like insta n shit we also need you there pls...

[@MSordernature]

Are you going to return to making breakdowns of single films at a time? I personally don't care for this style of videos, not only do they risk spoiling a movie I haven't seen, they are also extremely long. I can watch a 50% of an actual movie in this time.

[@idhunepijl2398]

Great video once again. I know you probably don't even bother with recomendations but I have to tell you: If you havent seen Adam Curtis' new project "Can't get you out of my head" you REALLY should. It really adds to several points you touched upon in this.

[@j.f.fisher5318]

This is great work. It deeply echoes my thoughts. I feel like we need fiction that can show us as a people a way forward. It seems like despair that we can solve problems like climate change is the biggest threat, while the paradoxical banality of merely personal choices is both uninspiring and seems hopelessly inadequate in the face of problems of such scope. That said, there are evils that are not merely banal. There are oil billionaires who know climate change is real but would lose the "wealth" represented by their claims to oil reserves that would lose their value if the world stopped using petrolium. So they've invested small fortunes in the creation of alternative media to push disinformation to prevent the loss of the larger part of their fortunes.

[@FearTheImpaler]

he takes ideas ive always had and lays them out in a clear way i never could. its almost embarrassing. i think of myself as pretty smart and introspective, but then someone explains the weight on my heart better than i could, and i realize i still have too much to learn. another masterpiece!

[@JohnDoe-jq4re]

Damn on a third level cause you just said what I was thinking better than I could

[@FearTheImpaler]

@@JohnDoe-jq4re maybe he is rubbing off on me then :)

[@FearTheImpaler]

@Cade P Thank you! I meant only to say that it is an opportunity to recognize a potential area of personal growth :)

[@SunnyIcedQueen]

You literally took the words out of my mouth. As a social scientist, I cried watching this. His voice plays a big role in the articulation. I am grateful that he exists to tell the truth that lives in all of us who understands the war within.

[@hikingwithmarty]

yes exactly that...

[@R4Y2k]

"You know what I love most about Mars? They still dream. We gave up. They're an entire culture dedicated to a common goal, working together as one to turn a lifeless rock into a garden. We had a garden and we paved it." -Franklin Degraaf, The Expanse S01E03

[@dalton-at-work]

sounds like thats from the book "red mars"

[@thothheartmaat2833]

mars is dead bro.. no survivors..

[@timhenley3602]

I remember that episode. Great qoute

[@R4Y2k]

@@timhenley3602 That show has some great dialogue for sure. I hope we'll get an essay on it on this channel one day :D

[@a.l.p.h.a.6094]

Ghost Troupe You didn’t watch the video, did you?

[@AynenMakino]

One thing we must do is to separate the hero from the warrior and savior. The heroes of our reality are not heroes because they save us or fight our battles. They are heroes because they choose the right actions despite great cost to themselves. In our world our heroes do not protect us, we must protect them.

[@AynenMakino]

@Jake there are no rightwing good actions. Only fear and hate.

[@AynenMakino]

@Jake Ok, I'll be slightly more elaborate. First off, there's not really a left wing in the US. The democrats are center-right. The republicans are far-right. So when speaking US-centric, politically only one side is represented. But morality as most commonly understood across the world has more to do with doing no harm and having empathy. 'Thou shalt not murder', and 'Do onto others as you would have them do onto you' are commonly described as the golden rules. No political party keeps to these rules. None.

[@corvoriever539]

@Jake he’s actually right about the politics in the United States. Idk why you think he’s not right, it’s almost obvious to see the policies both sides of the political spectrum are pushing.

[@corvoriever539]

@Jake dude you just assumed all of that by me pointing out that both sides are shit? I don’t have an ideology that I identify with I may agree with some aspects but I won’t build my identity around it.

[@corvoriever539]

@Jake who is singling out who now? I feel like you are seriously over complicating what the original poster and what I have said. No one endorsed anything about one party being better or morally correct than the other

[@McCawidule]

Sir, it is a crime that your channel only has 489k subscribers, and this video only 417,000 views. Each and every one is practically overflowing with gentle wisdom, and a deeply human warmth so sorely needed in common discourse today. Please keep up the amazing work you're doing, as we truly do need you.

[@disturbedfan545]

I always liked how Tolkein said "it's the small acts of kindness from ordinary people that keep darkness at bay."

[@jaguillermol]

But it's not true. Look at all the darkness it has kept at bay. Another proof of Tolkien's silly superficial worldview.

[@applesandgrapesfordinner4626]

@@jaguillermol I don't think it's a silly view. One time, I was taking a walk, minding my own business, when I see someone's car shut down out of nowhere at the middle of the intersection. So one decent guy came out to help, then another guy came to help and then another. It came to a point were there was about at least five or more strangers helping this one other stranger by pushing his car out of the road. They then decided to call in a mechanic for him. Very lovely display of paying it forward

[@jaguillermol]

@@applesandgrapesfordinner4626 And that has to do with heroes and problems in the world....how?

[@applesandgrapesfordinner4626]

@@jaguillermol It doesn't. I just thought it was a generous act that pulled others to do the same.

[@jaguillermol]

@@applesandgrapesfordinner4626 But it's not "others" that make the world a difficult place, it's a few people on top who don't care and aren't moved by what the people think or want or do

[@lkc525]

"i dread what has to happen for us to be truly outraged"

[@allocater2]

maybe 700,000 Americans have to die ...never mind

[@adamm2091]

@@allocater2 Just Americans?

[@NPRoberto]

@@adamm2091 in America, the focus of tragedy is mostly on what affects America. That's not a defense, it's patently narcissistic, but that's the culture here. I personally wasn't educated on any history that didn't directly affect America, and even that was barely veiled capitalist propaganda. I'm just saying, when Americans act like the world revolves around America, it's because we're taught to do so. I'm hopeful for change. Gen Z seems much more aware of the world than I've ever been.

[@alexandernakashima4236]

@@allocater2 there people in the world that still think COVID is a hoax, madness

[@polturn154]

@@alexandernakashima4236 I know this is unsolicited advice but if you write it off as "madness" and move on youre falling into one of the exact mental traps this video mentions. If you work to understand others with beliefs contrary to your own, the world starts to make more sense.

[@Egalia_1]

I don’t have the ability to articulate a good response to a subject as complex as this, so I’ll just leave a quote here that I think about often: “Some people can’t face the world, that doesn’t mean they’re weak, just scared.” -Finka

[@42tancho]

Thanks for sharing that quote

[@mattabraham3549]

Hence why this modern society won’t end well. Our bellies may be full, but our spirit will be empty.

[@IOTewks]

@@mattabraham3549 Bold to assume hunger isn't endemic too

[@mattabraham3549]

“Take the crumbs from starving soldiers, they won't die. Take the food from hungry children, they won't cry. But without dreams we all will die”. If you’re stuck on the war on hunger you at least have a cause. Ur good 👍

[@talbrott]

yeah, that's weakness

[@mnk9073]

Alienation is the key element here, seperating us from all things until we are left with nothing to connect us to the world, each other and even ourselves..

[@dalton-at-work]

alienation is an explicit goal of corporations. they want you alienated from anyone that doesnt also consume their product

[@raiorai2]

In many way we are not only alienated from our work and its products, as Marx would say, but also from each other. The world is connected, but much more economically than socially. That should change.

[@oo--7714]

@@raiorai2 not really the case everyone is connected on the internet

[@raiorai2]

@@oo--7714 Yes the internet, the pinacle of empathy and union

[@pulx1481]

I would suggest "la société du spectacle" or in English "the society of spectacle" from guy dobord. It's a very interesting book which suggest that modern alienation come from the spectacle and entertainment that we live today.

[@parttimemedic]

Such an amazing video, it reminded me of how Pixar makes their movies. The "villains" aren't clearly defined objects of evil, but just characters. All the antagonists in the film are simply characters with motives different from those of the protagonist, and often times the roles become fluid. I think that's why Pixar movies tend to be so relatable as well, because it represents how in reality, there are no super villains.

[@Pao.Outrider]

We've romanticized 'heroism' so much that the slightest note of disagreement is considered as opposition. Many of us have grown up knowing only black and white, but as adults now, we realize the world is truly grey, and so is the moral spectrum.

[@SheepWaveMeByeBye]

Indeed. Heroes need monsters. In lack of dragons we turn against our neighbors.

[@oakinwol]

@@SheepWaveMeByeBye there are always dragons. There is always the one inside to be tamed. But most would rather find an external one to deal with. The true immorality of the average human being. So incredibly concerned with self

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

Grey no that to can lead to evils that this video spoke about, Seeing the world in color with it's white, black, greys, blues red and rest is really the best way forward.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

@@SheepWaveMeByeBye There is always evil when you run out of foes turn inward and do good a knight can be the king that understands and cares for his people. A dragon hoarding gold can't.

[@steviegilliam5685]

Not completely true most of us are still in a black and white mentality

[@martingoodwin2438]

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said "The battleline between good and evil runs through the heart of every man." We try so hard to project evil onto others and we continue to believe in our own virtue Thankyou for your wonderful essay

[@michaelricketson1365]

I just started reading The Gulag Archipelago a few days ago.

[@TheChristianNationalist8692]

@@michaelricketson1365 how you feel so far? Good book never finished myself

[@michaelricketson1365]

@@TheChristianNationalist8692 It is frightening to read of course! And interesting when Solzhenitsyn suggests that maybe things wouldn’t have gotten as bad if the people being arrested had resisted more. It is a real lesson for society.

[@ThePS3Beast109]

I recently listened to the audiobook and thought it was absolutely incredible. I would not have been able to conceive of the atrocities he describes yet he comes to the conclusion that the Russian people deserved all the horrors they faced because they were complicit in them to some degree, however small. I've never read such powerful stuff. Couldn't recommend enough, though I'm glad I used the audiobook as I'm a slow reader so would have taken forever.

[@michaelricketson1365]

@@ThePS3Beast109 I haven’t tried audio books yet but I think I would benefit from them. I also read slowly.

[@anurag5984]

"You can resolve to live your life with integrity. Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me." Alexander Solzhenitsyn

[@effigytormented]

Burn it all to ashes if we let it get that far, once the house is run down, no amount of work will save it.

[@pterodactylpie8825]

This really came at a good time. A lot of my anxiety comes from knowing I live in a society that makes it harder and harder to lead a life with little negative impact onto the world. And each choice I make, either in the grocery store or even by what I eat, I am leaving my own trail behind.

[@JorgeMaciasColombon]

@Ghost Troupe Isn't that a lie, though? I don't mean that you are lying, but that the idea of just her being responsible for that dread is a lie. Sure, it is partly her choice, but it also isn't. We can hardly blame a person for trying to fit in the environment they grew up in. I think it's more about coming to terms with what we as individuals can change, and what we can't change.

[@124085]

@Lee I'm sure she'd love to live among the animals if we didn't drive most of them to extinction. Any land that hasn't been privatized is either owned by the government or unusable. You say the world can't be negatively impacted. All climate models disagree. The Founding Fathers of America crossed the Atlantic to escape the rule of monarchs and tyrants. But now the Tyrants are more powerful than ever and we've run out of oceans to cross. Yes, with great sacrifice you can live a largely sustainable life on a farm somewhere, grow all your own food and be mostly self sufficient. But that's a privilege most working-class people will never be able to afford. Even if she fulfills this pipe dream her taxes would still go to bailing out banks, subsidizing beef, oil and sent to shithole countries like Saudi Arabia and the failed occupation of Afghanistan. All of which make the world empirically worse. So literally by the mere act of existing you're doing wrong.

[@Memoiana]

@@124085 “Live among the animals” like among wolves? lions? Polar bears?? I’d like to see that. Stop Romanticizing nature. We are part of it. And it is as ugly as it is beautiful.

[@jaguillermol]

It's not hard dude. Just buy local. And start convincing other people to do the same.

[@jaguillermol]

@@JorgeMaciasColombon "coming to terms with" is the emotionally and intellectually lazy way out tho.

[@patrick01645]

This is actually one of the greatest things I've ever seen, heard and absorbed as a conversation in my entire life. You put your words amazingly and the reflections you provoke are more than necessary. Thank you!

[@TheArtist808]

Elliot's dialog is great to use when discussing morality and heroism

[@watcher8582]

You mean monolog?

[@tonibojones]

Is this a movie? And what movie is that?

[@faiz3711]

@@tonibojones mr robot a tv series, watch it, you'll be amazed

[@watcher8582]

@@faiz3711 TV show "Mr. Robot"

[@tonibojones]

@@faiz3711 Yeah, I searched it and watched 3 episodes already. I’m indeed amazed by what I have seen so far. And thank you! 🙏🏽

[@FutureMindset]

Hero's stories and journeys tend to be really inspirational and moving because we like to see that justice wins and evil is defeated. But I don't think most people have it within them to actually put themselves through the turmoil that is necessary to actually bring change and that's because these stories have a very romanticized view of heroism with generic villians, predictable story arcs, epic music and usually some sort of superpowers, but that's not realistic.

[@reneelucero2923]

I think it’s more because evil in the world is so...vague. Most of us see it everyday, we know it’s there but it’s not a person or someone you can just punch away. It’s a whole system, so much bigger than any individual. That’s why collective efforts are necessary, and while I don’t think superhero movies are a good guide as to HOW to seek justice, they’re a great inspiration and have the potential to teach people about how important it is to actually care and hope for something better. I would say one of the biggest mistakes ever made by society was thinking idealism is the same as being naive or stupid, and romanticizing cynicism. Whenever I think of what superhero stories should be, I think of the speech Aunt May gave in Spider-Man 2.

[@MsLuath]

I think there are real life heroes, people with moral courage who lives up to the challenge of opposing an unfair system: Ralph Nader, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, Erin Brokovitch, Eugene Debs, Martin Luther King etc. In general, the propagandists work for the interests of the small oligarchy who shapes the system and will present narratives which wont challenge it. The movie industry works hard in recasting people with ideologies undermining the status quo, anti-capitalists (Bane), environmentalists (Thanos), anarchists (the Joker), as the villains. There is a profound irony in turning into heroes the CEO of a military industry (Ironman), a trust fund baby (Batman) and a mainstream journalist (Clark Kent). I believe most people are not willingly complicite of the system, they just try to survive in it, compromise with it because they feel alone and powerless. We need different stories where everyday heroes band together.

[@mdmazedYT]

You can still take away practical examples of right action from grandiose settings and stories. The moral choices are the same we face every day but it is up to the individual to reduce them into their elemental components and apply them to their own life. As long as you think in terms of "most people" and draw arbitrary lines between them and us, rather than realising we are each one part of a symbiotic ecosystem that depends on cooperation for survival, you set up the house of cards all over again.

[@MsLuath]

@@mdmazedYT There is a line and there is such a thing as a predatory/parasitic class. We don't cooperate with them, we enable them. Through colonisation, that class and its ideological converts behave like an invasive species. Practical wisdom based on history says you destroy it before it destroys you, your community and everything else you care about. And you deal with the invaders in the most rapid and definitive manner you can so it wont take root and spread. The Beothuks were able to push away the Vikings but failed to do the same with the French and the Anglosaxons and they were wiped out. I find naive and unhelpful to make a blanket statement that we are all equally evil. In a survival mode and forced by circumstances, most of us are able and willing to use violence. But very few among us will scheme, manipulate and plan in cold blood for the systematic and organized exploitation of each others and nature. The psychopaths of our ruling class did and still do.

[@Doubleranged1]

@@MsLuath have you not seen the video? All of us are capable of great evil and it is mostly exercised through inaction. You, and all other people, are just as psychopathic as the leading class is. With good intent, but ultimately unable to overcome a system that is too big and complex to change on your own. It is by collectivism that the power is found to bring about those changes. And collectivism doesn't start with ostracizing a part of that necessary collective by painting them as psychopaths.

[@NASkeywest]

We have people who make careers out of creating hate and issues in the internet, claim they are warriors for morality, but they literally do nothing to make anything better. They think calling people out or creating an enemy to go after counts as actually changing the world for the better

[@nedjimb0]

Your section on Reclaiming Morality is really on point. Hollywood so often villainize radicals by making them cross the line, sometimes what feels like arbitrarily.

[@JaydevRaol]

This man never fails to amaze with the subject he chooses and just how much effort he much puts into his each video. Kudso Bro! 👏👏👏

[@redstaplerguyforlifepastpr5763]

I liked the 1st one so much I'm back here for round 2 on another , on a cold , wet, sober night ; how in the world have I not binged on this channel before ? haha.

[@ash8207]

“You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

[@EveryTimeV2]

Yeah except that's bullshit, Marcus was taught, outside events shaped his personality throughout life, being influenced by the world around you is a fact of life because as long as your brain records information it will always act based upon it. All language is taught, most topics in education were founded based on wisdom gained over many thousands of years, history has enabled people.

[@Hypogean7]

@@EveryTimeV2 Aurelius didn't say that outside events have no control over you. He said that YOU have no control of outside events. That you must learn to master yourself, regardless of what may come.

[@meregaming1770]

Marcus Aurelius, born aristocrat.

[@Lunch_Meat]

According to most modern understandings of how the brain works, you may not have much control over your mind either

[@aurelian2668]

@@meregaming1770 And so what? This man saw more death than you and I will ever be. Problem with modern people is they see movies and series or read books about death and they think they understand the full force of conquering ones mind in a place where all you can see is death. Most modern people in todays society lives their lives not seeing one corpse in the street.

[@richardwood6146]

I’ve been struggling with the idea of individual morality as an answer to an immoral system for a while to no avail. This helped me conceptualise it better, thank you 🙏

[@Jenklejankles]

This one reminded me of the work of Joshua Oppenheimer and his two sensational documentary films, "The Act of Killing" and "The Look of Silence" exploring the genocides in Indonesia, both from the point of view of the perpetrators and of the victims. The recognition of evil as something that is part of human nature and something to be understood and overcame is darkly apparent in his work so I suggest you'd check him out if you haven't already, I really liked how you analysed that evil isn't as cut and dry as just good guys and bad guys as a lot of media would tend to suggest. It is instead something that resides within us all and the larger structures that come out of us. I believe it is imperative that we recognise that evil compassionately in order to overcome it, harnessing the best aspects of human nature to triumph over the worst.

[@RoseDragoness]

I am from Indonesia. Sometimes, people believe they are killing/doing evil for a good, that it was the order of the God. The definition of good and evil, in the end, is sadly depending on the current age and culture. Globalization, UN, and Internet helps to start evening out the odds, to make the definition more... equal around the globe.

[@shirleyjust3305]

We all have a shadow side, there are no exemptions. There are no unimportant thoughts, pay attention to your thoughts, you can not change anything you don't pay attention too.

[@markoveselinovic2586]

This channel is a gift

[@independancedayisawesome4689]

I needed this. This... this is my constant everyday life thoughts... I hate myself for it. I hate that I might not be capable of doing anything to help.

[@MsLuath]

Do want you can and it will be good enough, not matter how small you think it is. Each small acts of kindness and moral courage inspire others to do the same. We don't need superheroes, we need everyday heroes which actions restore faith in each others and makes it seem possible to do good. As one of my personal heroes say all the time, together we are strong.

[@wrenlittle8826]

You made me cry. Don't hate your self. Please. I know the feeling. But you can do little things, things that aren't even noticed by others can be a blessing. You can refrain from agreeing with people just to appease them. YOU, can do great things.

[@EgoEroTergum]

Take the log out of your eye, before worrying over the speck in your neighbor's. If you improve yourself, mentally, physically, educationally; you'll have improved the world by one person. Helping family does at least two more. A friend makes four. That's four times your share.

[@edmundscycles1]

Dear commenter , the largest mistake we all make is try to change only the large things . Instead we concentrate on what we can do . While we may negatively affect the world our actions also positively affect our surroundings and people . Our small actions can snowball into a huge effect .

[@michaelperez5871]

Your essays are so beautifully presented. I had some words in mind, but I'll just say thank you.

[@matthieudandoy6268]

Overcoming nihilism in the modern world is one hell of a fight! Great video btw!

[@nihilism6226]

Matthieu Dandoy "Overcoming" nihilism means living in a delusion.

[@matthieudandoy6268]

@@nihilism6226 you still haven’t committed suicide tho, 🤷‍♂️ Nihilism isn’t sustainable, meanwhile some illusions can prove themselves positive, for you and others. It is more a matter of seeing thru the illusion and choosing those that are helpful and rejecting those that aren’t

[@JohnDoe-wt9ek]

@@nihilism6226 Its overcoming self-destructive tendencies and repurposing that energy towards helping someone that day. And having that energy continually focused on good will rather than self-destruction. Even atheists disagree with nihilism, and they don't believe in a higher power of absolute goodness. Because they know there is always something good to live, fight and, possibly, die for. Whether it be family, friends, a pet, their beliefs. A pure nihilist recognizes life is naught and the impending doom of death inescapable (in which the latter part, he isn't wrong). But more so, the pure nihilist would recognize this and be suicidal, to the point of taking action. A nihilist that continues to live on knowing the impeccable march to the grave, and that all efforts are meaningless and pointless, with no gain or reward save the temporary satisfactions of worldly objectivity, would know that to continue their existence is hypocritical to the dogmatic values of life being meaningless is held. By continuing to exist, a nihilist is proving there is still something worth living for. Or, even better, they are living to avoid meeting the early grave. Life is worth living, by avoiding dying. Nihilism is an oxymoron of principle. Its self-defeating. One cannot hate his life so much and believe it so pointless, yet continue living in it. Which, in itself, is torture. Imposing self harm to one by practicing that which is opposite to the core beliefs of nihilistic tendencies...

[@nihilism6226]

@@matthieudandoy6268 Nihilism doesn't mean idleness, it means: "do whatever the fuck you want (absolutely no limits, positive, negative, doesn't matter), none of this matters and existence is completely worthless. We are all dead already, we just don't know it yet.

[@nihilism6226]

@@JohnDoe-wt9ek The dogma of nihilism is an oxymoron. There is no dogma or an ideology, it is just acceptance that morals and laws don't exist, only truth does. Everything is permitted. And I mean everything. Since there are no lasting effects on the world. What matters the most is seeking of pleasure because maximalizing pleasure and minimalizing pain seems to be the most "meaningful" thing we can do. But if you wanna shoot up a crowd, be my guest, it is 100% irrelevant in the long run. These people would die either way, they are already dead, they just don't know it yet. I sometimes behave in a just way (if I feel like it), other times I am a complete twat for the pleasure of it. Who really cares right? In 50 years tops I will be a corpse regardless of how I behave.

[@soumyadipsarkar2910]

I can't believe you referenced home. It is one of my favorite documentary. Seriously I love your work man. This is my sacred place as I mentioned in a previous video.

[@idhunepijl2398]

Also saw some scenes from Samsara. Also an absolute must watch!

[@soumyadipsarkar2910]

So True

[@greenleaf1635]

"Opposing evil will bring our societies to a screeching halt."

[@sanomiabyrd1821]

Who decides what is evil? It's such a general word to use to describe something disagreeable relative to ______. As a specialized species, we have a baseline for what evil is, but living in a western empire, thumbing this comment into this glowing screen and knowing it came at great human and environmental cost, does that make me evil? It's strange to think in someone else's eyes that as much as I distance myself from the madness of the west I am evil.

[@popopop984]

@@sanomiabyrd1821 Indeed, perhaps you can argue merely using your phone and watching videos is evil. It’s free advertising for phone companies, who use child labor in foreign countries and destroy the environment in the process. It’s so gross I hate it.

[@SpaceLemon.]

@@popopop984 Keep in mind that it is NOT your fault that you happened to be born into a system that you have no direct power over, and that has power over you to a strong degree. Also keep in mind that your voice has power, even if small and quiet. While one voice is too subtle to be heard far, an ocean of voices speaking as one can shake mountains.

[@JohnDoe-wt9ek]

@@sanomiabyrd1821 The Bible has always spoken of turning good out of the bad. Its just too bad everyone is so intrinsically disgusted by the awful things that happen that they miss the good things that come out by galling mankind to its core. It is only by that disgust and the willingness to recognize it, address it and change it for better, is how we improve as individuals and as communities. The irony of it all is that by adversity, by the disgust of such vile things, making it aware and calling it out, without hypocrisy or ill intent, can we motivate others to make good change. While yes, the phones made and the computers made are developed in countries where its equivalent to slavery, yet these same products are used to identify these issues, to make aware and to call out the countries and mad men who brutalize these innocent people for their own selfish gain. Something evil isn't permanently evil. It can still be repurposed for good. Just as a man may have been evil, he can always be changed to do good.

[@seekingabsolution1907]

Then let them halt, let them wither and die and let us build something better in their place.

[@TheINFJChannel]

You're great at compartmentalizing complex societal topics and summing it up in a nice fancy package. Well done 👏

[@brandonjohnson9275]

Interesting. Hope togetherness is translated through community, charity, and friendliness instead of pressure, obligation, and vanity. Gotta remember the classics ;) (philia, storge, and agape)

[@Thessalin]

Your videos are so thought provoking. I have a book I'm trying to write where "the new gods" are trying to fix the world after destroying "the evil old gods." The problem I have it exactly this: the banality of evil and how to "fix" humanity to be better. Such a brilliant thought provoking video that helped me see a few different ways to try it.

[@CMCSS-to3to]

Do you really think that there even could be a good world. A good God who takes over and fixes us. I honestly feel that morality as we know it is antithetical to nature and human nature. Their is no justice in nature, only survival. And man emerges from the 4 billion year old corpse pile and decides that mankind is better than that, as we slaughter and pillage our way across this planet znd through the ages. I feel kinda heartbroken in that aspect. I really wish I could find some type of morality or something that's not just more of the same

[@leebennett1821]

All Gods where Created by man God serves man always has

[@thothheartmaat2833]

what if the old gods still rule and arent evil at all.. chaos is very misunderstood..

[@cothinker680]

@@thothheartmaat2833 what do u mean?

[@digiquo8143]

@@CMCSS-to3to Our inability to fully reconcile the good and evil natures within every human being is what makes the path to righteousness so meaningful. There was a quote somewhere in the video that went along the lines of "if man cannot choose to be good, he is no longer a man". The meaning is two-fold. While one can consider it to mean that "if man has no recourse but to commit evil by way of living within the system thrust upon him then he is no longer human", it can also mean that "were our ability to choose between good and evil taken from us, to only ever pick the path of good because we could not physically, knowingly choose to do something ingrained from before birth to be evil, then we would be no more complex than insects". We would be as the angels of God, incapable of disobeying, of having free will. It is each man's personal struggle between good and evil that makes his triumphs righteous, and his failures tragedies.

[@Conspirator19]

After so much unbearable bullshit these many years, you've helped me turn a key in a lock and open a long shut, forgotten door in forty minutes. That is a gift. Thank you once again. Cheers.

[@Striker163videos]

I just finished reading The Banality of Evil by Hannah Arendt last night and this dropped. Maaaan.

[@geoatherton5214]

Really excellent content. You’ve put eloquent words and editing to a dissonance that I think most of us feel, especially those with an interest in great stories and storytelling, between the kinds of problems and villains presented in our cinematic hero mythologies and the kind of soul-sucking systemic problems that represent real threats in our modern lives. Been a longtime fan with a few buddies, this is a good reminder to join your Patreon. Keep it up maestro.

[@PeenWienerstien]

Most people know about the unabombers manifesto, but he also wrote another piece called "the systems neatest trick" which basically posits that rebellion has been harnessed and turned on its head by the system we all live in. In order to use it as a tool for control rather than liberation. Whatever you think of uncle ted, his writings become more and more prescient with each passing moment.

[@nicholasbestevaar6064]

Spot on again, LSOO. it’s incredible how you articulate what is in the hearts and minds of many.

[@PrimerCinePodcast]

This essay is a movie. A whole movie. Your discourse is just amazing. So clear and concise and so inspiring. Great job man!!!!! :D

[@ivie_online]

Beautiful work here, the relationship between individual responsibility & structural change is incredibly complex, & you laid so many core concerns out in a very concise manner.

[@Numba003]

The “banality of evil” makes me think of the book “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis, where Hell is like this terrible bureaucracy methodically trying to corrupt men through the small insidious everyday little vices. Thank you for the analysis, as always. Stay well out there everybody, and God bless you friends. :)

[@mihailvagner4400]

You often make me ask myself tough but meaningful questions - that is, as I think, is the most important thing in enlightenment and growth as a human being. Thank you for your work and passion.

[@jaysheth1541]

It also happened during the viewing this video that something stirred inside me ... The words... And those exact words followed in the video as well. The entire line of thought was like dance steps I was taking with you. I was beating the same notes of Thought as you were. Thank you once again ☺️

[@tannerhagen774]

Beautifully put together! Should be an Oscar winner for KZbin content.

[@TheSuperRatt]

It's always important to remember the source of your anger. Love. Compassion. If we did not care, why would injustice infuriate us? Allow the true root of our passions to guide our actions.

[@TheKapor10]

Exceptional! Amazing! I wanted to be a teacher. I never knew exactly why. It doesnt pay well, and pretty hard to do good. But after watching this video, i realized the thruth. I wanted it to make a change even if its small. To create a community where i teach the values and morality of life through sports. Thats my dream. And now, i know its foundation, all thanks to you. Thank you!

[@KnjazNazrath]

People look at me crazy when I tell them I teach RS. I simply say "I feel a need to teach kids critical thinking skills, how to relate to people from walks of life they do not understand in ways which are respectful, and the idea that some things which seem fantastical can have deep meaning if one bothers to suspend disbelief and think about them from a personal angle". Some people get it, some don't. Luckily, my RS classes seem to get the kids interested.

[@grinningtiki220]

Baseline for teaching salary in my crappy state is 34k per year. My last four years of income total that and am still able to pay off student loans and card debt. Cant do anything else but whatever. I dont get the whole argument that teachers are not paid well. They get the summer off, meals are cheap to free, retirment and health benefits. What am I missing here? Honest question.

[@TheKapor10]

@@grinningtiki220 Here in Hungary, teachers earn 6000 dollars a year. The avarage monthly cost of an apartman is 400 dollars in Budapest, (thats 4800 a year). Thats what you missing :D. And im not even exaggerate it.

[@mylesleggette7520]

@@grinningtiki220 I can only speak to my experience with public education in the midwestern United States, so TheKapor10 or others may have different perspectives, but here's my take on what you may be 'missing': As a culture we value knowledge. We assume that the function of a teacher is to impart knowledge, so we conflate the value of teachers with the value of knowledge and hold the profession in high esteem. The thing is, most public 'teaching' jobs in the US are primarily focused on child care and ensuring accountability through the school/state bureaucracy. Now, to be fair, this is not without good reason - accountability structures are important because putting children in a public school exposes them to myriad dangers, and many children are not ready to learn because of personal circumstances, so child care will often be the first step that must be taken before learning can even be considered. Unfortunately, this means that actually imparting knowledge to children comes in, at best, a distant third or fourth in terms of what teachers actually spend time doing with pupils. While the demand for teachers is quite large (there are many children, after all), the labor pool for teachers is also extremely large - the work requires essentially no physical labor, and relatively little training to do compared to highly compensated fields. There certainly is a lot of training available, but it is not actually required to be a good teacher. Pretty much anyone who enjoys children, is a little bit patient, and is not a pedophile can be a teacher with a few courses on classroom management and child development - one can't say the same for, say, garbagemen (physically demanding), aeronautical engineers (educationally demanding), or surgeons (educationally and physically demanding). Thus we end up with a class of people who think that their jobs are both more important and more challenging than they actually are, and expect an amount of compensation commensurate to their perceived value, rather than the value they actually provide. I work with a number of teachers who make upwards of $150,000 per year who still feel they are undercompensated.

[@HermesIII]

This is a video that comes in such a NECESSARY time.....

[@ndv135]

I know that voicing some disagreement is going to make people annoyed with me, however I do feel that this is a point I want to make. Though I feel that you make many good points and that I agree with a good portion of them, I do have to say that there is a dimension missed in this video. There is a sort of ceiling hit with the quote by Hannah Arendt at 23:19. She supposes that evil cannot be radical, and you build much of your argument on this from this point forward. It is simply stated here without backing it up, and I would disagree. We look at a man who did what he did because he was following orders, however no discussion is given to those who even came up with the idea in the idea of the holocaust in the idea of the holocaust in the first place. There ideology was stepped in anger and resentment, a bitter ideology that disapproved of inaction in government, and of systems they felt they had no control over. Perhaps those things that they felt could be simply dismissed as conspiracy, or just as wrong, but that really misses the point. We, like those people birthing movements all throughout history are looking through the imperfect lens of the present, and our own biases and simply those things we are factually wrong about for one reason or another. Revolution does not lead to violence because it is innate in revolution. But because the search for utopia, or in some cases just a better world is made difficult in that if we are wrong about anything, or have to take anything on faith, we are innately going to make a system of violence and repression. I think that Hannah Arendt's point comes more from a place of desire for how the world works. A justification for anger, and vengeful feelings, and could therefore be used to justify all sorts of atrocities. If a perfect set of ideals could be created that everyone could agree on, I think I would agree with you more. But since that is pretty much impossible, revolution will do nothing but lead to death and suffering, because someone else who is just as idealistic and just as angry is going to stand in your way. The way of thinking Arendt promotes is the exact kind of thinking that pushes societies into polarization and violence.

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

Expect these movies decept terrorism that is clothed in revolution it owns more modern terrorism than to any revolution

[@Aermydach]

Masterfully articulated! This essay covered a lot of the issues that have been plaguing me throughout my adult life.

[@MatthewKimble]

These videos are incredibly cathartic for me personally. Thank you so much for making them.

[@cutecatmeowmeowmeoww]

Very thought provoking and interesting video. It's quite rare for me to watch something for 40 minutes in one sitting. Thank you.

[@malice21nall]

Amazing production. Very well articulated thesis. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@foritisiemperor]

Your videos are very well structured and researched - they are also works of art. Thank you

[@Alex_Barbosa]

Glad to see more radical content honestly. Unpassioned centrism is one of the most frustrating things to deal with. Being good is radical. You cannot be good and be apathetic, it takes passion and willingness to change accepted systems for the better. The status quo is the opposition to the change to good. Now we just need to get past the revolution = bad mindset. Not everything needs to be a revolution, but we need to stop pretending it's an inherently bad thing. Sometimes for some people, it's the only option.

[@Srijit1946]

This channel was so much more based over a year ago, it seems like he has drifted more towards the centre after watching ContraPoint's frankly mediocre video on Envy

[@Alias3141]

"...or that these storytellers simply cannot imagine, or do not want to imagine, what kind of world could be achieved through it." More discomforting is the idea that they are not allowed to imagine or portray it per some Operation Mockingbird-esque restrictions to maintain the status quo.

[@smartwater598]

Is it possible to do a video on relationships with your philosophy?

[@mikebasil4832]

Thank you so much for this very important video that the entire world needs to see and hear. 👍🏻👍🏼👍🏽👍🏾👍🏿

[@hyperballadbradx6486]

This video hits HARD. Probably one of the darkest and urgent videos I've seen on your channel. I didn't think it would have the usual pull of hope.... but thank goodness it did (kind of!!) - amazing work!!

[@richardpetts9661]

I recently bought a used copy of Jared Diamond's book Collapse. I'm half way through it and cannot at this point recommend it enough. It truly shows the complexity of the human society, and what can happen during the evolution of these groups. Very much food for thought. Thank you again LSOO for your excellent channel. Peace and Strength.

[@hebemariacarreira8344]

Thank you! Superb essay. "The Hidden Life" Terrence Malick is a great example

[@lead6231]

Have not been this excited since Saturdays in middle school

[@mattdrew257]

This is the challenge we face in our modern times....good and evil are so elegantly hidden and merged into each of our every day choices. It would be great if it was as simple as standing up to an obvious villain but our day to day never provides for this. Great video, great channel, please keep creating your fantastic works for art mixed with reflection.

[@OrdinarySpeaker]

Fantastic video. And I still feel this resistance or rather lack of belief, how working together and creating communities can overcome this hole we’ve dug ourselves. The learned helplessness is very ingrained and couples together nicely with this lethargy because „I don’t have it so bad“. Rest assured that I will keep thinking about your words in my work of overcoming this.

[@vazzaroth]

'torturing your conscience' is so accurate for 'keeping up' with news and developments in modern life.

[@mechalemur3885]

It seems we need to learn how to build a new civilization within the existing world that holds these beliefs and works to benefit and teach anyone and everyone. It would have to be world wide maybe

[@truthseeker5613]

this channel is absolutely magnificent, the effort you put in is HEROIC, keep it up.

[@OGMann]

The banality of evil is a favorite topic of mine. I'm looking forward to seriously how you articulate your perspective of it.

[@skyjack8541]

It's your favorite topic bc you love evil. Evil which is life itself is a mystery like death in which some like seeing the predator devour it's prey and you can't help but love evil bc you are colonized by it. You are trapped in a box surrounded by evil. The only way out of such a box is death. Perhaps death is better than life itself for most. If life is hell then heaven must be death. On earth ppl (89%) do not have anything good to talk about esp on the news and social media channels. Ppl love evil. Who cares about their brother when he's evil - those who love evil as well. All of the videos that discuss sorrow or evil, videos get a lot of likes or thumbs up which means ppl like hearing and seeing sorrow thus become the constant diet of the masses to consume. Nothing but sorrow and more than enough to make anyone depressed or sick who consume them. Some ppl may binge off of hearing and seeing sorrow. Ppl are for what they are against and don't know it. Then again, they just might. Lmsolll

[@OGMann]

@@skyjack8541 Evil is not a favorite topic of mine. The banality of it is. Can you prove your assertion that people love evil, and like videos describing evil acts from a love of evil? I doubt it. Evil is base. It is commonplace. It is not extraordinary. The reasonings behind evil acts are therefore banal...as are those who commit them. Evil is not glorified. It is not sanctified. It is not justifiable. Those who attempt to do so are mentally and psychologically aberrant. Unfortunately, there are no few individuals who fall into these categories.

[@sp123]

​@@OGMannpeople love authoritarians

[@jamesbuchanan3888]

He dances around the principle. ... The sword is only given for one purpose. It is not a multi-purpose tool. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The transition into being the villain comes when someone decides that they can use force to do good. The true hero only uses their power to fight against those who do evil, never to do good.

[@erikafreebird6449]

Your content is superb. Love your mind, heart, and soul, it shines through every word in your commentaries. Thank you.

[@theoutsiderhumanist8159]

For some reason I thought this was a reactionary channel, but I clicked this video anyway because of my interest in moral philosophy. I'm so glad I did. My mind is blown by how good this is. I'll be catching up on your videos tonight!

[@KopperNeoman]

I suppose you wouldn't havr listened if it had challenged your ingrained biases. There's a reason that reactionaries regularly watch breadtubers but not the opposite.

[@wiggawithattitude]

You should try reaction. It's very wholesome. It might be what you're searching for.

[@whodatboi2567]

I came into this video expecting the kind of cynical sanctimony or veiled bigotry that these kind of video essays tend to be but instead was wonderfully surprised at the confrontational yet nuanced examination that I instead got. Subscribed and hope to see more of your videos.

[@KopperNeoman]

It is difficult to escape modern systemic rhetoric and find universal truisms that said systems find unclean. Jordan Peterson is a Nazi according to those systems.

[@drunkenwizard7084]

One of the best videos of its kind ive seen in a long while, bravo! Thanks for expressing these ideas and thoughts in such a concise and eloquent manner

[@Gallowglass7]

Keep these coming, you're doing your part and it's very important.

[@MenOfWill]

Now this is soul art. Wow!

[@eronjohn6445]

This may be the best thing I have ever seen. Love it so much. I have struggled with the themes in this video ever since I became aware of the world around me. While there are no clear answers, knowing others feel the same is a great comfort. Thank you for this!

[@WanBelltrum]

This is probably one of the most important videos of this era. I really appreciate the message in this video and look forward to your other content.

[@goromajima270]

Long, long ago, in a faraway kingdom, there lived three brothers. The youngest was a terrifically lazy lad who spent most of his days fast asleep. However, he was every bit as cheerful as he was lethargic, and so was beloved by all. When the nation was beset upon by a most devastating famine, the youngest son did naught but laze about the palace, humming to himself all the while. But his cheerful music comforted the townspeople, so instead of hating him, they sang his praises. "Oh, what a fine young man!" they would say. "Just the finest young man you will ever find!" When the nation became embroiled in war, the youngest son did naught but laze about the palace, telling stories of the good old days all the while. But his fascinating stories helped the townspeople forget the horrors of war, so instead of hating him, they sang his praises. "Oh, what an amazing young man!" they would say. "Just the most amazing young man you will ever find!" One day, the youngest son was lazing about the palace as usual when he realized he could no longer hear the voices of the townspeople, and he wondered why that might be. He lazed and he wondered. He lazed and he wondered. He lazed and he wondered. Eventually all that wondering tired him out, and he went to sleep. That is why, in that nation where all have perished from war and famine, the only sound that can be heard is the soft snoring of a young man. It is a nation of happiness. A nation of happiness. A nation of happiness. A nation of happiness. A nation of happiness. But what if I'm the prince?

[@MethodiousMind]

huh??

[@ranielvincecabarrubias6118]

Where is this from?

[@universalhumanityproject3373]

We need to combine creators like this on a call to organize action. So many disparate communities on YT, Reddit etc that are well aware of the evils and contradictions but no one acts in unison. There are more of us than there are of them.

[@ximono]

But they are much more powerful. Once a movement they perceive as a threat gains momentum, it will be shut down. I think "the machine" is too entrenched in its "metacrisis" to be fixable, and that it _has_ to fail, on its own, with all the unimaginable suffering that entails. I can only hope that something good will rise from its ashes. Or maybe it will come from outside of this wicked civilization? The world is more than just Eurasia, after all. Maybe our best bet is to jump ship before it sinks? It's a very radical step that requires more courage than staying. And you must know how to swim. Few are willing to be so drastic, but I think I see a growing trend. Starting from scratch is hard work though, and most are too naïve about what it entails. Either they dare only go halfway or they go too far too fast and are forced to give up the dream and return to the comforts of the machine. But some have what it takes and manage to live on the edges of civilization. As far as I can tell, they're not damaged individuals running away or idealistic hippies, as often portrayed in movies, but hardworking realists, willing to sacrifice comfort for safety. Together as a family or as a small community. That's truly radical action (the word "radical" from Latin "radicalis", meaning "of the root" or "having roots"). As Simone Weil says, we have a need for roots.

[@B1rdzOfF1re]

What I've learned from this video is that if you are not born able to cultivate this sense of duty and heroism, you are complicit in spreading the evil. All my life, I've spent it being broken over and over again. Now, I'm afraid to walk, to choose, to exist. Maybe the most moral thing left for me to do is the ultimate sacrifice. What is a life not lived in service of others? Of morality? Wasted, that's what. I'm better off dead than I will ever be alive but broken.

[@chrisparisi629]

Thank you for your time, your labor, but mostly your spirit of optimistic questioning. It consistently reminds me of the beauty within my life that I sometimes fail to see. This is a gift I didn't know that I'd ever needed. You open Plato's cave for me.

[@braveknightmedia8043]

I love this. Thank you for crystalizing this nebulous feeling into some kind of consumable form to digest and think about. I appreciate you and your channel. Be well, and may you keep asking questions that help us find the answers.

[@bezo8162]

Radical👍 Keep doing what you do

[@dustind4694]

Ah, Kingdom of Heaven. My dad and I watched that together, and it's still resonant with me today.

[@warandpoetry9542]

Violence and suffering is so permeated within society that even it’s end cannot be imagined through any other means

[@huzaifa2772]

love love love to the content and the creator.

[@JCarrera27]

🖤Stories of old🖤

[@ferrysuppers8936]

This video really makes you think. I recently saw another video I forgot what it was about but in that video was stated "you dont have to be a bad person to commit great evil you just have to think you are right" and that really hit home with me as well I wish more people would ask themselves the difficult questions.

[@artzreal]

the just keeps paying for the sinner. "the world is dangerous not because of the people who do evil, but because of those that do nothing" (said in various ways) it's the ultimate way to blame their accountability on others, so obvious that no one notices, and this lie keeps being passed on. you should make a video on that one

[@jerrycramer4132]

Haven't watched the video yet, but i'm sure it'll be fantastic! keep up the great work

[@Anark]

So long as humans live under subjugation, so long as the verdant complexity of the ecology is trampled, so long as the heights of human creativity and cooperation are stifled by hierarchical systems, the hope for revolution will not die. But revolution is not a single violent juncture. Revolution is a process wherein we are bid to create the horizontal system that shall replace this society of rulership and domination. Instead of focusing on consumption, instead of asking the states and corporations which have led us here to turn away from their exploitation, we must construct a dual power which will prefigure the next world. Do not give in to despair. Faced with such a peril, to choose despair is death. There is now only action.

[@duvan-solis]

Perhaps the question is: Was there a time when we were heroes?

[@SAMSARALIVEEEEEE]

No. It’s always been about the winners writing history

[@duvan-solis]

@@SAMSARALIVEEEEEE hmm... I don't think that relates in any way to what I was implying. (My concept of hero isn't about that)

[@collateralpigeon2151]

Absolute heros? Probably not. A flawed species capable of outstandingly heroic moments? Absolutely. When you think of real life heros it is almost always because of one heroic moment that defines them as a hero. Would Wellington be as know, if at all, were it not for his victory at Waterloo? Would Neil Armstrong be anything other than a footnote without his first step? Heroism is not a permanent trait. You can't be a hero 24-7 like in the movies. Heros are just people with lives. It could have been any one of us doing that heroic thing. But occasionally someone is in the right place for the opportunity to take heroic action.

[@redstaplerguyforlifepastpr5763]

Hmmm

[@fornamnefternamn1532]

I think I was watching all the video with tears in my eyes. These are issues I think about more and more - and that was after decades of studying and working with related questions.

[@metooilikepie2966]

all it takes for evil to win is for good people to stand idle by and do nothing.

[@knowthyself99]

Now we became very aware of what's going on around us ! It's, literally ,obvious that we are going down bit by bit ! The real question is that what we can do do change everything? Or is it possible to change what we've done so far ?

[@SC-gw8np]

Late reply, but maybe the solution is to do NOTHING for a while. And take that time to heal and introspect. But fat chance of that happening in an age of excess activity, eh?

[@joker_views]

I noticed that trend of villains being cartoonized in media the more I've been studying politics. It becomes really glaring how we, thru the media, are being taught that radical action brings nothing but suffering and no progress when America was MADE from radical actions, war. I just wish more people took time to criticize that more knowing what it meant than it just being "bad writing"

[@Stealth1337]

I Ve caught myself thinking of isolation not only because of moral hazard but also because of human relationships. Thank you for this

[@Tadicuslegion78]

Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.-Robert Duvall, Secondhand Lions

[@terrifictomm]

From "Perelandra", by C.S. Lewis The hero, Elwin Ransom, is facing the realization that he must truly risk his life to save an entire species and if he fails not only will that race be plunged into thousands of years of death and darkness, but he will likely die in the attempt no matter how it turns out. In this scene he's been arguing with himself over what to do. "...As for the fate of Perelandra, that could not really rest upon his shoulders. It was in God's hands. One must be content to leave it there. One must have Faith .... It snapped like a violin string. Not one rag of all this evasion was left. Relentlessly, unmistakably, the Darkness pressed down upon him the knowledge that this picture of the situation was utterly false. His journey to Perelandra was not a moral exercise, nor a sham fight. If the issue lay in [God's] hands, Ransom and the Lady were those hands. The fate of a world really depended on how they behaved in the next few hours. The thing was irreducibly, nakedly real. They could, if they chose, decline to save the innocence of this new race, and if they declined its innocence would not be saved. It rested with no other creature in all time or all space. This he saw clearly, though as yet he had no inkling of what he could do. The voluble self protested, wildly, swiftly, like the propeller of a ship racing when it is out of the water. The imprudence, the unfairness, the absurdity of it! Did [God] want to lose worlds? What was the sense of so arranging things that anything really important should finally and absolutely depend on such a man of straw as himself? And at that moment, far away on Earth, as he now could not help remembering, men were at war, and white-faced subalterns and freckled corporals who had but lately begun to shave, stood in horrible gaps or crawled forward in deadly darkness, awaking, like him, to the preposterous truth that all really depended on their actions; and far away in time Horatius stood on the bridge, and Constantine settled in his mind whether he would or would not embrace the new religion, and Eve herself stood looking upon the forbidden fruit and the Heaven of Heavens waited for her decision. He writhed and ground his teeth, but could not help seeing. Thus, and not otherwise, the world was made. Either something or nothing must depend on individual choices. And if something, who could set bounds to it? A stone may determine the course of a river. He was that stone at this horrible moment which had become the centre of the whole universe. The eldila of all worlds, the sinless organisms of everlasting, light, were silent in Deep Heaven to see what Elwin Ransom of Cambridge would do." "Thus, and not otherwise, the world was made. Either something or nothing must depend on individual choices. And if something, who could set bounds to it?" . Live long and righteously.

[@TheMightyDevilLuis]

When we control our demons, we become truly strong.

[@SAMSARALIVEEEEEE]

Demons are controlling me right now. I need to fight

[@redstaplerguyforlifepastpr5763]

@@SAMSARALIVEEEEEE lol! ...I can relate to that weirdly.

[@rushwill]

The very evil within my own self is my truest adversary every moment

[@ryanthele9346]

Thanks for being around