(Andrew is a Prince George poet and phlosopher)

First comment by Andrew:

There is a current running through the being of all of us. It comes from the stories that surround us, the stories we grew up with, committed to memory and return to over and over. The essence of those stories lies in danger often fashioned as a struggle between good and evil. For many of us, life is driven to root out that evil, confront it, oppose it and resolve it. This may seem a worthy goal. Such it may be, but I would suggest it is not enough. We become so focused on what we oppose, on “what must stop” we may see that stopping as a powerful goal in itself. Such a goal may be worthy and important, but it is not enough. Rather we, in search of a true and meaningful future must also consider; “What do I want to start? What would a healthy, worthy and supportive community, society, world look like, feel like, sound like? How do we make that come to pass? How do we create a world built not only on what we oppose but on what we hold as true and right and worthy? – Andrew Burton 10-26-2024

New comment by Andrew:

There is a part of all of us that seeks to be honorable, to do the right thing. From time to time that desire is in conflict with a part of our nature that is more immediate and more self focused. That immediate gratification may be for money, for power, pride of place, status or relationship. In the case where a person chooses gratification over honor and decency, there will be a desire to make it seem that their behavior is honorable. They will create a lie or a series of lies to justify their behavior and make it seem noble. You have seen people do this. What you may not have noticed is that the person behind this sort of lie knows they are lying. That dissonance between the lie and the known reality is crucial. They become a lost soul. The lost soul, knowing the falsity of their actions regards anyone who calls them on their behavior as a danger to their house of cards. The one calling them out becomes an enemy and is attacked and demonized. You have seen this, too. Consider those who accept the lie and support it. To the lost soul a person who claims to believe the false story either truly believes the story (and is therefore stupid) or knows the lie for what it is (and is therefore lying). If you are lying I can’t trust you, if the believers are incapable of seeing the truth the person must maintain the story to keep them on-side which is exhausting and keeps the reality of the lie on their mind. The lie holds the person back, isolates them from true relationships, and forces them into a lonely and increasingly isolated existence that may seem positive but is a sham to support the lie. It is a lonely and isolated existence, remaining so as long as the lie persists.
When a person lives with honor and decency, when their actions and words reflect the values and beliefs that they hold there is a strength in that way of being that others notice. Like minded people see that and respect it for what it is. The lost souls see it too. For them it is a reminder of what they have lost. For them it becomes a target to keep their secrets behind closed doors.
Choose your way, Live the way you choose.

Justification

Do you feel the need for justification?
What a concept! Justification… who needs it right? Of course, the dirty little secret of justification is that the roots of it, the need for it grows out of fear and doubt. Sometimes it is doubt of the self. What if I’m wrong? What if I totally misread the situation? Sometimes it’s doubt of the other. What if they don’t understand? What if they won’t accept? Then there is the fear. What if they know but willfully deny? What if they have bought a fantasy, a wish fulfilling dream (or nightmare?) that requires blind belief acceptance and/or obedience? What if people fear the loss of favour or the likelihood of punishment? Will they then be amenable to justification? Or will they use specious justifications of their own to maintain their fantasy? Sometimes, when words and actions grow from what a person cannot justify in ways that stand a critical eye their recourse is to deny and denigrate any honest questioning. Their go to is to push back against the inconvenient truth with falsity or misdirection, personal attacks or threats. Those with a vested interest in a fantasy or fabrication may often be the first to shout down a reasonable argument. Any train of thought built on evidence and logic becomes a perceived threat generating fear. Fear is the parent of anger. Expressions of anger always have the fear hovering close nearby.
Valid justification may often give credence to dissent. (It doesn’t always) It can also, often in the response of others, reveal a truth few dare speak. Indeed, the emperor has no clothes.