The Evil Outside, the Evil Within
I was at a government-related event a few years ago and one story from my coworker at the time still sticks out to me to this day — she was talking about her mother, having gotten older and now facing health problems — taking out her frustrations on her and her siblings.
“When you get to my age, I hope you face the same thing!”
What a thing to say to your own kids, eh? My co-worker admitted that she came from a background of privilege and her dedicating her life to the public sector seemed like a reaction to some of her family-related issues at home.
One scary thought is the idea that the ugly sentiments such as the ones above have been codified into public policy at this point. Having seen a few insane things being said at public hearings there is ample evidence that this is the case. But at the same time, folks like my co-worker fighting the good fight within should also give us some hope.
A lot of people think that our battles lie between objective good and objective evil, but it’s really about our fight for and against human nature itself. If we want progress, we have to see the world for what it really is.
