problems with core philosophy

[adrienmundi]

I'm having increasing problems with nonviolence. It's important to me, and has been for a long time, but I think it's because it feels like I have to believe in it. Looking at the world is a bleak undertaking, and it's hard to miss the fact that some are much more villainous than others (or, on a larger scale, some incur much more ecological damage than others). It's getting harder to avoid the pitfall of thinking that an immense amount of humanity will die in my lifetime because we're too selfish and stupid to change, and if that's so, an increasingly loud part of me keeps saying, "I want the rich fuckers to die first."

I don't (fully) trust my perspective. I think this is one place where overintellectualization may help me; I keep looking for more information rather than acting on what I already know. Well, maybe that plus advanced stage bleeding heart empathy. But I think maybe my traditional stance of nonviolence might be hollow, might be a decision taken out of necessity rather than a deeply held belief, and that worries me.

Comments

[ineffabelle]

Well if someone *has to* die to keep the rest of us alive, for sure, the ultra rich should die first. It is beyond question.

[adrienmundi]

As J mentioned below, I probably couldn't/wouldn't get more than one; I'm no John Roe O'Neill, and even if I had that kind of crazy mad skill, it would probably go just as badly.

[fairyhead.livejournal.com]

Even if there are people doing really bad things, what makes you qualified to determine what life gets taken? While I can see the urge, I think that's skirting on an arrogance that's very unhealthy. Plus, you've got to do the math around whether or not you could really succeed at it and the repercussions of when you get caught and the repercussions for and to your loved ones. In all likelihood, you'd only get one 'rich fucker' then go to jail for forever. There are bunches of that ilk to take his or her place. What does that accomplish? You'd be viewed as an anomaly and no one would be scared or change their ways. You'd probably do better to work on ways of helping those afflicted by the 'rich fuckers'. If you really want to help those people, think about what would empower them the most. Literacy? Job skills? Education? Food? Adequate medical care?

[adrienmundi]

I don't think I mean to act. I think what worries me, though, is that my stance towards nonviolence has come under question. For as long as I can recall, it's been an important tenet of my personal belief system. Now, I find myself wondering if it was a defensive move on my part, to keep something down, rather than to pull things out into the light and look at them closely.