Daily Truth Jan. 30, 2022
If you are surprised by the way people are behaving in the world today, you probably need to go back and pay attention to history.
I’m not on social media much anymore for many reasons, one of which is I’m tired of seeing the same “shock and awe” posts people are sharing, day after day, stating they “can’t believe this is happening.” Really? You can’t believe this is happening? I can. Just like I can believe someone’s abusive, alcoholic husband is yet again drunk and abusive.
Nobody should be shocked at this point. Nothing should surprise you and most importantly, you should ask yourself why you are shocked in the first place. Why do you believe you are above living in times of widespread corruption and tyranny? Why do you believe you are different than any other human who has lived throughout the atrocities of the 21st century and countless years before?
You and I are not above that, nor are we immune to it because we are living in a more technologically advanced society. We are the same humans as those living before us. Sure, we may know things they did not and our cultures may be different, but we are fundamentally the same.
The trouble is most people view history as a third party observer. Looking back on times and places outside of themselves. Wrong. Every atrocity that has occurred throughout history was made up of people just like you, which is why you must view history in the first person. You must figure out which player you would have been. I was at a lecture given by Dr. Jordan B. Peterson this past week and his explanation of understanding history is one which we all need to accept. During WWII, in Nazi Germany, there were three types of players: the victims, the perpetrators and those who risked death to defy their perpetrators. Mistakenly, most of you reading this will instantaneously reply that clearly, you would have been the latter. Statistically speaking, you wouldn’t have been. It’s also obvious you wouldn’t have been by simple obersvarion. Most of you demonstrate cowardice daily, in the way you go along with things to “keep the peace.” It may feel good and righteous for you to claim you would have been the “Schindler” of the day, but you wouldn’t have been. Really? You would’ve accepted death in the name of standing up for the lives of strangers? Doubtful. Most of you won’t even leave your homes to protest for other people’s medical freedom because you’re too busy “being brave” on social media.
When you stop looking at history as a third party observer and start placing yourself in the story itself, you will finally understand what is happening around you. Nothing should surprise you when it comes to the potential for evil that lies within the human spirit. Nothing. The people throughout history are just like you and I.
You are human and you behave just as every other human who has lived before you. Naive denial of your potential for evil isn’t noble or virtuous; it is ignorant and dangerous.