This evening I had a little talk with a friend. We discussed a great deal of things ranging in importance. I came to the realization that people like me exist for people like her. She's kind, loving, very understanding and genuinely innocent. Now what I'm going to say may easily be misunderstood, but I really don't care. She has wonderful friends and family, including myself, but my existence is determined by people like her. Meaning that abominations of the mind (and flesh) like me, exist not to contradict those people borne of love, but to protect them. Men like me rooted in hatred and vengeance are this way because of those we care for. We harbor ill will towards our fellow man for treading on the hearts or dreams of our loved ones. Sure hatred may spawn from disagreements, but it is amplified in magnitude once someone we care deeply for is harmed more than ourselves. At any given moment I can tell you all to think of someone you hate. For most, your initial thought will be of someone who hurt you directly. Think of someone who has harmed a close friend or family member. Tell me who you hate more. Nine times out of ten, it's the person who hurt someone you care for. Wars have been raged in our own honor, and that of our kin. The story of Helen of Troy? Do you remember how much blood was spilled to save a woman who was thought an unwilling captive? Look how throughout history the act of revenge differed in severity.
I don't know about you, but if someone were to harm my family, or someone I have a deep bond with, I wouldn't just kill them. I would make sure they suffered immensely. The depth of my hatred would far surpass anything known to mortal men. My fury and vengeance would carry a message throughout the passage of time that would give birth to a fear so great, it would ingrain itself in my own lineage and all they encounter for they would fear my retaliation from beyond the grave. Do you understand now? The most fearsome men on the earth exist for the protection of those they love. I feel this is short, sweet, and to the point. For those peaceful, soft, loving people, there are men like me who are around to defend them in one way or another.
You're free to disagree, but I strongly believe this is why the spectrum exits for everything. Right, wrong. Good, evil. Love and hate. Things are right because we feel they should be, and the inverse can be said for wrong. This applies to everything. In this case, hatred exists to protect and help us to appreciate love. Otherwise the good aspects of life, in this situation love, wouldn't be as sweet and enjoyable. You can't love without hate. Somewhere a long the line you must experience one to experience and appreciate the other. I address this before in regards to pleasure and pain (or something like that. I have a bad memory), but this is meant to give some of us a better understanding of what hatred and general negativity is and it's role in our lives. Genuine (and sometimes unbridled) hatred is difficult for anyone or group to attain. It is possible, but hardly do we ever harbor a genuine hatred for anyone or anything. Genuine hatred is only attainable when you achieve a nearly unparalleled, damn near unconditional love. Because many of us have conditions to which we may love someone, it's pretty tough to get that far. But know there's no destructive force greater than an untamed genuine hatred. In the same breath you can also say there's no constructive force greater than that of immense love and even forgiveness. The power of love and forgiveness can truly change the world for the better. Of course love and forgiveness are harder for us as humans to do. Therefore it's much easier to destroy any and all opposition with our hatred. Personally, I find it hard to take either to heart, let alone allow them to surface. We all have the potential to make a difference, but this isn't some petty moral choice. It's a long standing commitment. Some have a greater vessel for these emotions and are much more capable than others. What you do with the power is up to you. Thankfully I have made great friends who help pull me from the side of hatred time and time again.
I really don't want to make this reference, but it's sad to see an underlying moral tale in a video game. God of War one and three of all games at that! The tale behind Pandora's Box in the game is as follows: Zeus gathered all the evils of the world and had them sealed in a special box created by Hephaestus. Before the box was sealed, Athena also trapped a power within the box. In the box was what they called "the power to kill a god". Kratos sought to open the box to destroy Ares (because he lead him into battle and caused him to slay his wife and child; trivial at the moment). Kratos successfully opened the box and managed to kill Ares. Unbeknownst to Kratos, what was truly sealed in the box was Fear. Allegedly fear was the root of all evils in the world. Zeus fell prey to fear and deemed Kratos a threat and sought to kill him. Kratos fell to Zeus's hand. After a long journey, even altering his very own Fate in the process, Kratos once more found himself in search once more for Pandora's Box. The key to the box was Pandora herself. After finding and befriending her, he returned to the box. Should she open the box, she'd forfeit her very life. She constantly spoke of the fears that ravaged her and her father, but also spoke of hope. She chose to open the box and Kratos saw it was empty. He was unaware that when he opened the box the first time, he was infused with the power to kill a god. Hope. What reawakened this power in him was Pandora's words. To paraphrase. "Hope is what we fight with when we have nothing left." In the end, Kratos bested Zeus in battle and killed himself to release the power of Hope upon the world.
For the hopeful, we men of fear exist. We are afraid your hope will go lost, so we share that hope and tread forward. Hope and love are hand in hand just as hatred and fear. Allow yourselves to be reinforced by hope and do not fall prey to fear. In the end, we need you to love us who hate, so we in turn may protect you from the hatred of others. The hardest things to do in life are the most rewarding. Being hopeful, compassionate and loving are so very difficult, but knowing and forcing yourself to hate in order for the world to be better for those you love is even harder.
"Sometimes I've gotta be the bad guy because if it were someone else, the outcome would be worse."
-King Vee II aka Yours Truly
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