The root of evil is the root of the word: ‘evil’
It would be extremely useful if everyone could agree on what’s Good and what’s Bad. Those notions seem rather ‘fuzzy’ in most of our minds. We have some glimpses of it and overview of it. But I think It would help a lot in order to navigate the world collectively if we gained some clarity over it.
The root of the word evil originally meant ‘uppity’ aka ‘narcissism’. And it was used to designate the Sodomites. The inhabitants of Sodom who were wealthy (compared to the narrating jews), rather egotistical, self-centered, and as it is common with an increased wealth, believed in their superiority. They were also notorious for indulging in sexual promiscuity that were considered depravity in the Bible. Notably homosexuality.
So When the city burnt it was considered divine retribution for ‘evil’ or Pride.
The birth of a word comes from the necessity of a crystalising a new concept. So it hopefully starts with a crisp definition. But by time that initial meaning go on a journey of its own and lose itself.
Hence why people disagree a lot for silly reasons sometimes. They don’t just disagree about values, although there’s some of that, they often disagree on semantic. On the various potential meanings of a single word. And those can diverge in so many ways. And without this commonality of terms, no stability and reliability in a discussion can occur. We can use the same word, but it can mean many different things to different people.
Now, we live in a narcissitic world actually. The sense of superiority of many people (Not only wealthy, but certainly of them), is everywhere. Everyone believe they’re better than the next guy… Interestingly.
By old standards we live in a world dominated by evil. Once again aka ‘Pride’.
But if you think about it, any ‘evil’ act one could consider is when a person is leveraging a sense of superiority in a forceful application. What is more of a sense of superiority than feeling it is ok to do harm to someone that is pretty much the equivalent to ourselves in shape and in nature?
Harm is always predicated on a sense of superiority. An extertion of a self-attributed right to dominion over someone else.
How about the devil?
The word devil.
In its greek origin Dia ballien => diabolos => “To throw across”.
= To slander = To lie.
The devil is the liar. Everytime you lie, you are doing the work of the devil. Actually. Interestingly. The devil being the king among them. The one at the very source of the lying. Monkeys don’t lie… Humans do. It’s something we picked up along with the co-development of language and our minds.
Things were simpler when lying wasn’t a thing. Who knows if they were better? But certainly, there was not this mascarade that we’re all on now.
Narcissism and the act of lying are linked.
I think out of the many traits and definition of narcissism, if you look beyond the clinical diagnosis of it as a personality disorder (which is basically made up), the one trait that is the most prevalent and cause the most harm to others is the very act of lying. But to oneself to begin with. It’s the devil-inside. That cloud our minds and makes us believe in our own illusions. So that one tell lies to be truthful to that illusion of grandeur that one can hold.
I personally believe quite strongly that If people didn’t lie, the world would be a far better place.
It would take time to adapt as we’d have to accomodate for the real needs and wants of people, and we’d have to learn to listen, not to judge, but to understand. So we can modify the rules of society to accomodate those. So it would make for a radical change of habits…
But eventually plain, simple, honesty would collectively lead to a way better way to live.
Individually and collectively.
If you want to tackle the problems of this world, you better start at the root. Like how you’d remove bad weeds… If you don’t remove the roots, they’re gonna regrow quite rapidly.
Yet We tend to think of the root as “The people at the top”. It’s some of it.
One approach is to think Macro, and pray for our master to do the right thing.
Or it is to think microscopically. It is for us little microbes that we are, to heal. And telling the truth is the one thing that heals the most. The thing we’re afraid to speak of. That’s perhaps the opposite of the work of the devil. And it’s an inside job for everyone to contribute. The last war of this time, is that war from within. It actually always has been. A war from within.
So don’t just consider the truth as what someone will want to lay upon you. As outside-in.
The truth is within you.
Truth shall set you free.
