GOOD VS. EVIL

“For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst?
Verily when good is hungry it seeks food even in dark caves, and when it thirsts, it drinks even of dead waters.” – Kahlil Gibran

Dang! I’d give anything to be able to weave and compose simple words into a masterpiece. But then again, maybe not in this lifetime; the savagery that is capital market has somehow snapped my ability to express in words the juxtaposed thoughts in my head save for those related to work. It drains every iota of energy and creativity out of this aging-faster-than-the-thawing-iceberg body and mind. Many a night, I found myself staring blankly at the screen, not searching but begging for those words that hide between the crevasses in this pea size brain to come out. Whoever told me that “tortured souls make the best poets” must be lying! I’m tortured everyday at work.

And I still have nothing to prove in terms of my literary pursuit (is there one? heh!).

Ok, I digress.

Mr. Gibran makes me think. Sometimes he intoxicates me with his words. Most times, his words touch my soul. Often, he provides form to my emotions. Like these words; I can readily relate to the current happenings. I’m no political analyst and I think we have garnered enough these few months to last us a long time. I’m nothing but a lowly pleb trying to make sense out of this twisted saga (without slandering anybody along the way).

It appears that each camp is out to prove their righteousness and their rejection of whatever that is perceived as evil. Whichever camp they’re in, the opposing camp is always the evil one. Their every move condemned. Their every action deplored. And they’d feel more superior after each time they succeed in portraying the opposing side as evil. It’s a vicious cycle. Will it ever end?

If only we try to see the evil or perceived evil as possibly stemming from a good deed or intention, then perhaps we’d be more forgiving, understanding and not quick to judge. An example; pilferage is wrong. There’s no denying. But would we be more forgiving if we know that the thief steals out of desperation; because he’s hungry or because he’s desperate to feed his brothers and sisters and he has no money to spare? Would we still punish him in the same degree as those stealing due to lack of desire to earn money properly and honestly?

Perhaps the analogy is way too simple but my point is this: if only we see the possible good that precedes the evil, then perhaps we’d be more understanding and forgiving. I must make it clear here; I’m not condoning what is wrong, but I’m merely propagating a more tolerant reaction, maybe not in all, but most circumstances.

By putting evil acts in this perspective, it provides a glimmer of hope for reconciliation and rectification and rather than making evil act appears rather distant from ourselves, we can relate to it. By this I mean we accept that we are all human and we err. Admit it; most of us have this habit of making ourselves appear holier than the rest when faced with a condemning issue. We make every possible effort to show that we are spiritually and morally superior and under no circumstances would we be committing the same hideous or evil act. Our exterior expressions provide the façade that hides the truth; that sometimes, we are no better than the condemned himself. The only difference is that we might be good at hiding the skeletons and no one manages to catch us yet!

Am I making sense at all? All I know is that I’m sick of the bickerings, sick of the slanderous blogs, sick of the media that over-dramatizes everything (negatively!), sick of reporters who think they’re doing great public service by pouring more fuel onto the fire through their writings.

I want to know that there are still good in this country. That despite all our differences, we can still live harmoniously next to each other. I want to be assured that we are not going to end up like the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda.

My poor unborn child…

Salam Ramadhan...