Venting Can Darkness Coexist with Goodness?

[Dür Ktulhu]

Tell me, how does one live with a penchant for spree killers, the romanticization of serial murderers, watching films like The Collector (1965) and The Story of O, loving the aesthetics of the Wehrmacht and the swastika since childhood, feeling drawn to stalking and abduction – and despite all this, be a kind, good, and moral person?

Ah, two souls, alas, dwell in my breast, each seeking to break free from the other! — Faust

It has been five years since I turned twenty. I can't say I'm torn apart; it's not like that. So, I know it's wrong, but I like it. Or is this just an adolescent relic? I don't know. In any case, Carthage must be destroyed.

 

[girafeli]

wdym by loving the aesthetics of the wehrmacht and swastika? like i guess you can appreciate the design appearance-wise, but they were intentionally made to look good as part of hitler's propaganda machine. you can appreciate the technical aspect of the design, but to say you love it comes off as saying you embrace the ideologies and virtues behind those designs. correct me if what i understood was wrong.

true crime is also a whole genre for a reason. there's definitely a large audience who are into that sort of content just look at youtube or netflix. there's a reason why there's so much "dark but interesting" themed podcasts and youtube channels, and that's simply because people are curious about those kinds of things. being fascinated by those things isn't really that new, so i think that's pretty harmless tbh. unless. that fascination turns into idolization which would then be problematic imo

 

[Forever Sleep]

I'd hesitantly say that the more 'intelligent' animals on this planet- eg. orcas and chimpanzees exhibit sadistic behaviours. Seeing as they are natural- it's presumably reasonable to assume some sadism exists within us naturally.

I think we almost delve into disturbing media, true crime as the above member suggested, horror films, violent games and films etc. in order to experience those things vicariously. Not that we necessarily identify with the perpetrator but, the fascination is still there for a lot of us.

It's possibly by indulging in fiction that we sometimes perhaps stop ourselves from committing anything terrible in real life. There again- it can also serve to feed an unhealthy obsession/ addiction that can actually lead to something in real life.

But in that circumstance- I think a person can have a dark side that mostly remains hidden. I think a lot of people live like that. I do. I have a grim fascination with disasters and true crime. I'm not even tempted to commit crime though.

Some here would also point out that the ideas of 'good' and 'bad' are human values that don't exist in the wild quite so much. 'Bad, bad praying mantis for just devouring your prey alive!' I tend to disagree personally. Given that we are able to empathise (most of us,) we do understand that it's unfair/ wrong to inflict suffering on others.

But sure- I think the vast majority of people are a mixture of light and dark. Even one of the darkest individuals- say- Harold Shipman- estimated of having 250 victims must have saved many lives too. Not that one cancels out the other but obviously- we choose from moment to moment- whether we will act on our better or bad thoughts.

I'd also agree that the swastika minus its nazi connotations is a very pleasing visual image. What's even worse is they stole it from older religions- where it was used as a symbol of peace. I remember feeling horrified seeing swastika's scratched into ancient works of art. That's so awful isn't it? Obviously far less awful than genocide. But, that they tainted so much.

There was even a fairground ride where they had to remove or modify it. I think they maybe eventually cut and rewelded it to be three arms on each pivot. Kind of crazy that it was in Germany too. You'd think during the design process- someone would have twigged- why does that look familiar?

 

[Dür Ktulhu]

That's so awful isn't it? Obviously far less awful than genocide.

Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. You are insightful and reflective, and your answer has helped me greatly. Regarding the Wehrmacht, I will clarify. I have always believed and continue to believe that Hitler is a particular figure who embodies absolute evil, but evil can also be great and inspire awe, as Nietzsche said, and Socrates too, but that's enough.

 

[maylurker]

>Can Darkness Coexist with Goodness?

darkness and goodness can coexist. theyr not opposites that exclude each other. goodness often appears within darkness in suffering conflict or moral gray areas and gains significance from that context. darkness is not evil in itself it is simply the difficult side of existence. the two are connecte each giving definition to the other