I'll go with humanity. If I can't live in a world possessed of some humanity, then I'd rather opt out of life entirely. Which is an unfortunate position to hold, frankly, since it sort of goes against the nature of the world. But I find that I possess too much empathy to embrace brutality as a way of living.
I got this question from your other question actually. When you asked us if we are reading anything right now. I am reading a book out of the Dune series and each chapter has a quote in the beginning. So, I kind of borrowed that idea from the author.
You are still the reason there IS a world. You and people who embrace humanity. Sheer brutality is just a reaction to fear. That is what people do when they are scared. They fight back. But if you are willing to place yourself in a situation where you will die for peace, that is courage, that is the highest form of humanity. That is almost too much for most of us. Simple compassion will do. Dying for peace is perfection, and trying to make a stand and stay peaceful is at least progress to be proud of.
Well I'm glad that my question got such a reaction from at least one person.
I'm actually rather conflicted about life in general. I'm a pessimist by nature. I believe that mankind is a hopelessly self-destructive force and that all of our attempts at progress are doomed to failure. Yet, at the same time, I do hope for a better fate for our species, and try to work toward that better fate in whatever way I can.
I think you are going through what many of us deal with on our life's path. I had many years (still have days like this) of pessimism, feeling much depression and hopelessness because I knew I couldn't fake it. I knew I couldn't pretend there was some positive outcome, or some caring consciousness or some after-life. I figured we were all useless animals that just do not get it and will wind up killing each other to extinction.
But, I bypassed that when I saw how miraculous life really is. Just when you think you cannot buy any more lies, the truth starts coming in through the cracks. Your truth will not be identical to mine so I am not going to blab and preach to you. But I would like to offer you some comfort that your ideas right now are valid and necessary; and one day they will serve to get you PAST these beliefs you have when you are ready, when the time is right.
There is a light at the end of that tunnel you are exploring. And the evil that you speak of that exists, is horrific. I am not dismissing that. It is hard to contemplate the depths of depravity of the human mind. The saving grace for even the lowest of the low, is that we all come from the same source. This is a plane of lessons. Everyone is here to learn and grow, I think.
You are the reasonable, rational guy. So, I know it would have to be very extreme for you to have that broken knuckle and I know that you are telling it true. I think we all have a breaking point.
My take on human history suggests "brutality" is not generally inflicted by people who are pushed to extremes, it is inflicted by people who deny the humanity of others for some abstract purpose (the glory of God, manifest destiny, Lebensraum, etc.).
If me and another person in some post-apocalypic Hell on Earth are fighting over a box of Cracker Jack (or a bottle of Nuka Cola...;-D...) we both found because we're both desperately starving, I'm probably going to leave the other person alone the moment he or she gives up and lets me have the Cracker Jack. Yes, if neither of us gives up until the other is unconscious or dead, it could turn extremely violent. But I'm unlikely to continue to descrate the body of my fellow Cracker Jack seeker, or try to hunt down his/her family, or seek to do violence against others who share some group identity with him/her.
Desperation may lead to violence, but it doesn't usually lead to brutality. Being programmed to believe The Other is subhuman generates brutality.
HVVENEZIA 