I've struggled with this question. I want to imagine that I'm a good person. I don't wish to harm others; when I was healthier, I volunteered my time at shelters and homes for the elders in our community; and as a teacher, we worked very hard to make sure the young people under our charge well treated with kindness, respect, dignity. But I wonder if that was enough.
Purplemoon, I'd like to ask you a question on this topic. Do you think that those of us who are more open to the suffering plaguing the world suffer from a kind of emotional double-indemnity clause? I'll speak from my own experience. I'm a relatively reserved, quiet person who even will speak up when I encounter a situation where one person is causing another harm. Sometimes the reactions from the instigators has been of derision and goes no further than that. But there have been occasions when I and others with me have been threatened with physical assault. The point here being that our 'kind' is perhaps the anomaly and that "the violent brutes roaming around, or the environment of greed & cruelty and its hideous effects of constant stress don't kill us," that these apex predators are the more pristine expression of the human condition.
I don't know, but it does seem that way to me. And it doesn't take a legion of Apex legionaries to twist things in a knot. Ultimately, I often am left feeling that I should not have come into this world. I don't have the tools to fight the way others do, at least not for money or prestige. Those facets of my personality exist but are ameliorated by a greater affinity toward peace and gentleness.
I'm sorry this went on so long and incoherently. And certainly my intent was not to monopolize your post. Just one of those nights I needed to vent.
@charlie_z You sound like such an amazing & fair person with good ethics... i appreciate your sharing of deep reflections.
I think that people like you and me tend to be very generous and kind first and foremost, and likely only get upset once we encounter someone who's just excessively mean and cruel.
You are certainly using the right terminology...predators are all around us,
and in my opinion, they have been exponentially increasing. I understand these types of always been in existence, but when it seems that more than half of the people around you, if they think they could get away with it, use you or steal from you, or just have zero compassion for anyone else, absolutely no mercy even if the person in front of them poses no threat whatsoever, etc. then it seems that the predators outnumber the decent and the good.
I have seen how these types frequently respond violently and irrationally when their cruel unfair behavior is pointed out or confronted, even if it's confronted diplomatically and respectfully; they often explode and become very vindictive immediately. And for what?!
For example, you've been in one right traffic lane for a while just going the speed limit, not blocking anyone in, you did not pull in front of anyone, You're simply minding your own business and not bothering anyone…
Yet some obnoxious heartless bully speeds up behind you purposely and tailgates you as if to terrorize you or 'punish' you, further endangering you and anyone else with potential injury, and even though the entire left lane is wide open for them to pass, they harass you an inch off your bumper very dangerously.
They even become angry if they have to move the steering wheel just 2 inches to the left to simply go around you.
What does that tell you about their character and their temper?
even though they're the ones who "started" it, even though you didn't bother them or disrespect them, they escalate their aggression and threat of violence even if you are just merely trying to stand up for your basic rights to safety.
To me this isn't just a literal example, but it represents so much of American society now.
They never stop to think what if the vehicle has a baby in it? A child? An elderly person, and entire family etc.
They could care less. You can plainly see they are not just carelessly following too closely; they are completely enraged you exist / in the lane they want...
All They perceive is that you're in "their way" and hatred just leaks out of them, I still can't fully fathom it or completely comprehend it, it goes beyond selfishness and impatience.
They're literally treating you like your safety and anyone with you is completely nothing to them. They become instantly violent towards people Not doing anything to them whatsoever! This transcends ego; this is insanity.
This is exactly what heartless vicious murderers do in their minds to their victims, they reduce victims to being a nobody, nothing, just meaningless tissue with no value. Not an individual but mere tissue to either abuse or use then discard like a parasite.
Sometimes it's hard not to feel the same thing in return initially, since they place no value on you, then they are just being monsters that should be eliminated from society. Worst case scenario and at an extreme scenario...a serial killer who executes serial killers?
A hunter to track down the hunters? I mean what kind of scum is someone who degrades you automatically?
what type of person automatically disrespects somebody's safety with no conscience whatsoever?
Especially if that person never did a single thing wrong to them ever?
These types are all over the place, their numbers are increasing, it's not just occasional anymore, it's downright scary how many are around now.
People often don't even have Minimum decent parents around, on top of being raised with no manners and no morals.
an analogy would be like if these types stepped on the back of your heels on purpose, didn't care if you were upset, and had an attitude on top of it all and basically told you to just move the hell out of their way.
But when you stand up and rightly say excuse me?!?
"But You're the one who almost injured me out of nowhere",...then they have the incredulous audacity to be angry that you're standing up to them and as you mentioned, calling out their extremely disrespectful behavior.
(If the shoe were on the other foot so to speak, and it's like they act like they're the only ones that have rights and no one else does. That they can do whatever they want to you and anyone else because that's what they need or what they want, with absolutely no concern for the unfairness to innocent people)
This isn't just being a bully...this is what domestic violence abusers think and do. People that murder their spouses etc.
This is on that same spectrum of violence, they're just a couple notches away from crossing that dangerous boundary. These are not mere "personality differences"...
...these types are on the threshold of being monsters.
And they're all over the place...
It's not just you feeling that, it's truly horrifying just how prevalent they are now.
I think related to your original question is also the fact that kind people and good people tend to stand out these days more than ever, and when these types sense this level of decency or hesitation to be cruel like they are... because they are so incredibly selfish, they see it as an opportunity to unleash their rage, and many enjoy it temporarily feeling some kind of power, although that temporary illusion of power is from darkness,
and the irony is the temporary high they get off of it Will cost them in the future spiritually, karmically, whatever you want to call it.
That's another reason why I never want to retaliate in return because I don't want to be like them, I don't want to connect to that kind of dark energy spiritually. Even if they deserve it. Although it's difficult not to give them a lecture or tell them off, or call the police on them if they're really creepy/dangerous.
Although I can in an emergency call upon a certain ex-boyfriend (marine soldier) who, let's just say... puts them in their place if need be. (I don't get my dainty hands dirty. Let the men handle the men, lol.)
personally, I feel that it is also a war between good and evil, even if you just look at it from a physics point of view and not a religious one. If good and evil can also be seen as certain types of energy, it's completely out of balance.
Evil people often attack Good people because subconsciously they resent it, as the sense that they will never be more complete like you, in other words, they will never be strong enough to do what's right and what's kind and what promotes harmony and eases suffering.
In this physical realm, The innocent, the good, and the sweet souls are often outnumbered by the cruel and twisted souls, just like you are aware of but perhaps explain or define it in different words...
But once we are out of this physical realm, that's when we can join others like us and we are no longer trapped or stuck inside this nightmare realm... in the next life, we can fly away from them safely... And...
You are like the bright shining star and they are like the black hole, trying to suck the life out of you. Or like those creepy dementors in the movies that try to feed off of the good and innocent.
They are metaphorically like an empty vacuum, in and of themselves, incapable of creating or generating their own light energy and they ironically, are the ones who are almost "nothing", just little black dots of a soul that never developed...
Unlike you and me.. Imperfect as we are, goodness and light are all about fostering growth and peace and love.
They are incapable of that, or very likely incapable...
and deep down they know it to be true.
for me, I add on to that basic understanding with feeling that demons enjoy trying to destroy the good, including latching onto many...whether they are good or bad/weak souls... endeavoring to make everyone else as miserable as they are, enjoying destroying in general because they themselves know not how to Love...
You can also often use kindness as a type of human sonar; when you are kind and you see their reaction or response coming back to you, it tells you the shape of who that person really is on the inside.
(Are they genuinely kind in return? Do They just start using you? Or a combination response? Start leeching off you? Or sharing their own generated goodness in return?
Are they maintaining respect for you, or are they starting to take advantage as soon as they see an opportunity?
Their response tells you a lot about who they really are spiritually, usually, unless they're adept at camouflage...
You can often sense their spiritual essence, their hidden truth, for better or for worse...)