VIOLENCE MAY NOT BE THE ANSWER; BUT WE SEEK AN ARBITER OF TRUTH, AND WE KNOW NO TRUER OTHER

by Brandon Hayes

Swords first; words second. When words fail swords are drawn; violence is at the bedrock NOT discussion.

This is the way of the world: â??War, uncivilization, chaos are the defaults – peace and civilization are the anomalies. All civil human interactions draw from a complex set of proxies for violence.” â?? Bill Joslin

Truth and what is true isnâ??t created in words (but discovered and explained); as words must be chosen carefully to have any grounding at all. Truth is reality en toto (words can barely do it justice). This is why God (reality) is the flaming sword bearer. This is why having untrue aim is to sin; for an arrow to fly true it adheres to Truth.

All your proxies for the truth have blinded you to it; have protected you from it; have given you a false sense of its absence; and truth will be your rude awaking, as youâ??ve been ignoring its soft cries and recent screams.

Please understand, until recently your proxies have sufficed. The idea to minimize violence through civilized means is a kind one; we believe in extending kinship. But, the unfit proxies havenâ??t replaced violence as of late; they have merely postponed it. We donâ??t settle issues anymore; we push them off and allow them to stew. Instead of keeping the pot cool youâ??ve been heating the water slowly in hopes of boiling you some frogs; theyâ??ve noticed and are now escaping the pot.

Look, we can (still, but not for long) avoid the conflicts to come; we, as humans, have a unique ability of willing ourselves into proper action (agency). We can change our behavior sets based on ideas; we can bully ourselves into new behavioral patterns; we can be our own animal trainers (domesticators).

â??The difference is, that because I look for negative externalities, frauds, thefts, exchanges, positive transfers, and positive externalities I CALCULATE that an action is immoral, amoral, or moral, and you INTUIT it.

I have the AGENCY to consider all possibilities and choose the moral, amoral, or the immoral as required.

This is the lesson of sun tzu, machiavelli, and aristotle – as well as every other general: morals are not truths but utilities, not knowledge but habits. The great books of wisdom and strategy are written so that we do not make the mistakes of christians and allow ourselves to be conquered, for having forgotten how to fight.

They are written to ensure that we are civilized by reason not by habit..

I have agency. I am not an animal. My intuitions provide information only. My reason rules my decisions. Moral, amoral, immoral, as needed.” â?? Curt Doolittle

The arbiters of truths are always unpleasant; the truth is undesirable. That is until the Truth comes as violence and becomes undeniable. Human beings have it in them to fend off the harsh Truths of nature; even of human nature; but the humans show no signs that they will allow their lies to abate; they egg the truth on woefully unprepared for the horrors it has in-store for those whoâ??ve denied it so long.

Can we wise up in time? I pray we can; but I promise prayers alone arenâ??t enough.