Start out with a messed up system. We can take this for granted because we live in a system and it’s pretty clearly messed up. It could be funny to come up with an icon for evil, but I’m in a hurry, so you’ll have to use your imagination.
When faced with evil, we’ve got two big popular options. We can be active or passive, defiant or obedient. The warrior takes on evil. The monk endures evil. Both make logical sense. They’re predictable responses. If I invade your country, I can reasonably expect that some of you are going to take up arms to kick me out and some of you are just going to put up with it and wait for me to die.
Defiance feels great emotionally, but it might get you killed. Obedience doesn’t feel great emotionally, but you’ll probably save your neck and that feels pretty good too. But even if you fight and win, you’re going to have to fight again. Even if you obey and the king dies, there’s just going to be a new king. Violence and victimization just give birth to more violence and victimization.
We need a third way. You might call it defiant obedience: walking the extra mile, turning the other cheek. It takes people by surprise. It feels bad emotionally and might get you killed, but it’s the only thing that might change the system for everyone else. If you win, you win your enemy. If you lose, you reveal your enemy. Salt and light.
