Stop talking about Danny. He was just a guy that came into my life for a while. He’s gone. Yeah, but you tried to kill him. No. I was merely the instrument of your will. You propelled the arm.
This reads with great psychological accuracy. As I read it I remember that we're often a group rather than a single unified mind, and in that group one of us is the Accuser. I also remember that when a person argues with themselves they win and lose the argument.
Peter, yours is a very interesting perspective with one of us as the Accuser. I hadn't thought about it that way, but it makes a lot of sense. Many thanks for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts, really appreciate it. All the best.
I found this an elegant illustration of the complex relationship between decisions and moral identities. Even when the narrator has revealed that in the end he resisted the urge to kill, the unconsummated violence has left a deep mark. And yet it also seems to have galvanised him - perhaps tense internal dialogues like this are of great existential significance - without them we are never fully married to our choices. Perhaps without internal conflict, we remain existential bachelors. In a world that believes in making progress towards the unfettered satisfactions of utopia, this could be mankind's future. Thanks for providing good food for thought.
Thank you for your very thought provoking and detailed comment. This means a lot to me. I love your phrase "existential bachelors." That has the lovely resonance of truth as you related to a lack of internal conflict. At least for my part, I attempt to embrace those conflicts because they can be revealing and instructive. Thanks again.
Thought provoking. What is the responsibility of society or an individual when facing a person who is evil? Or can we even judge evil - can we recognize it? In any event, I dislike Danny, if for no other reason than he is cruel to animals. The gallows for him (and Trump while we're at it)! Thanks for this interesting piece, Victor.
I think we all weigh evil with our own scales, although there's likely a lot of consensus. Cruelty in general just because you can doesn't sit well with me, especially towards animals who don't have the same recourse and resources to deal with it. Danny would have probably wound up on the gallows if he hadn't flew out of the back of the truck. Many thanks for reading and your thoughtful comment, Mike.
I've known someone who I perceived as being dangerous/evil on the inside. Like he was a snake, I kept my distance. I've wondered what circumstances would make me the same. Scary to think about. Kudos, Victor. Another fine piece.
Thank you James. It's comments like yours that give me a great deal of satisfaction in this process. I'm glad you enjoyed it, even if it's somewhat disturbing to think about. Much appreciated your reading and commenting, friend.
Thank you very much Jim. I appreciate your reading and commenting. And to provoke thought is actually what I hope to do most of the time, both in readers such as yourself, and in myself. Thanks again, friend.
This reads with great psychological accuracy. As I read it I remember that we're often a group rather than a single unified mind, and in that group one of us is the Accuser. I also remember that when a person argues with themselves they win and lose the argument.
Peter, yours is a very interesting perspective with one of us as the Accuser. I hadn't thought about it that way, but it makes a lot of sense. Many thanks for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts, really appreciate it. All the best.
I found this an elegant illustration of the complex relationship between decisions and moral identities. Even when the narrator has revealed that in the end he resisted the urge to kill, the unconsummated violence has left a deep mark. And yet it also seems to have galvanised him - perhaps tense internal dialogues like this are of great existential significance - without them we are never fully married to our choices. Perhaps without internal conflict, we remain existential bachelors. In a world that believes in making progress towards the unfettered satisfactions of utopia, this could be mankind's future. Thanks for providing good food for thought.
Thank you for your very thought provoking and detailed comment. This means a lot to me. I love your phrase "existential bachelors." That has the lovely resonance of truth as you related to a lack of internal conflict. At least for my part, I attempt to embrace those conflicts because they can be revealing and instructive. Thanks again.
Thought provoking. What is the responsibility of society or an individual when facing a person who is evil? Or can we even judge evil - can we recognize it? In any event, I dislike Danny, if for no other reason than he is cruel to animals. The gallows for him (and Trump while we're at it)! Thanks for this interesting piece, Victor.
I think we all weigh evil with our own scales, although there's likely a lot of consensus. Cruelty in general just because you can doesn't sit well with me, especially towards animals who don't have the same recourse and resources to deal with it. Danny would have probably wound up on the gallows if he hadn't flew out of the back of the truck. Many thanks for reading and your thoughtful comment, Mike.
I've known someone who I perceived as being dangerous/evil on the inside. Like he was a snake, I kept my distance. I've wondered what circumstances would make me the same. Scary to think about. Kudos, Victor. Another fine piece.
Thank you James. It's comments like yours that give me a great deal of satisfaction in this process. I'm glad you enjoyed it, even if it's somewhat disturbing to think about. Much appreciated your reading and commenting, friend.
As promised, thoughtful and edgy. Interesting perspective from inside the mind of a conflicted person.
This is a very thought provoking piece that unfolds naturally and seamlessly. Very impressive Victor.
Thank you very much Jim. I appreciate your reading and commenting. And to provoke thought is actually what I hope to do most of the time, both in readers such as yourself, and in myself. Thanks again, friend.