In Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzsche states… “With all your love of truth, you force yourselves to stare so long, so constantly, so hypnotically at nature that you see it falsely, that is, stoically, and you become incapable of seeing it otherwise.” Given recent events here in the US, I find this thought to be both poignant and timely.
Everyone has a predilection for bias in favor of their own circumstances. The impetus for an outcome that fulfills our own needs and desires is surely the result of some baser animalistic programming in our brains to ensure survival. We’re driven to provide for and protect our family and our tribe at all costs. These instinctual behaviors provide for many of the critical underpinnings of society.
However, as we develop into a more complex and sophisticated society, these instincts can also become an encumbrance. At what point do we embrace a broader notion? In The Wrath of Khan (1982), Spock says, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Captain Kirk answers, “Or the one.”
If we focus so intently on the plight of a single individual, is it even possible to divine the “truth”? If our efforts are to always ensure absolute justice for the one, can we simultaneously ensure justice for the many?
I’m sure that you are aware of the situation that led me to write this piece. In fact, there are many cases, some on the national stage and others closer to home, that have shaped my thoughts on this subject.
As a parent, I have no doubt that the loss of a child must be a devastating and inconsolable tragedy. My only hope for the affected families is that they are able to celebrate the lives of those lost and find a way to move forward with their own lives.
For our country and our society, my hope is that we will learn from these events, find ways to minimize our divisive nature, acknowledge broad truths, and move forward in a positive way that will benefit our children and our families while upholding the rule of law.