27 thoughts on “Better Than”

  2. Eloquent, Rachel. Perhaps more so than you realize.

    Let’s unpack this. Why do you pursue monsters? What motivates you?

    I don’t seek a particular answer here, and I certainly am not trying to play “Gotcha!” No traps here; I certainly am not that cruel…or clever.

    Before we continue the discussion, though, I want to see if a couple of my theories are valid.

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    1. Heh. I daresay you could be clever enough. But ill-meaning traps hardly seem your style — far better the ones that bring joy and are set upon tables.

      As for your questions, my answer came unbidden: Because I fear that I am one.

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      1. Ah, Rachel, thanks for your kindness!

        Your response isn’t quite the one I expected. Good news for our conversation, though, as the very best discussions feature all sorts of unexpected twists.

        You’re no monster, your concerns notwithstanding. That you recognize malformity in those you cultivate indicates a separation between you and them. Were you as depraved as you fear, would their “similar” traits even be noticeable?

        Instead, I’ll advance an alternative – namely, you’re unusually solicitous, orienting you to the marginalized. Moreover, you’re a romantic, meaning you invest considerable emotional resources trying to “rescue” them.

        Don’t scoff. Your vaunted cynicism is but a facade. You are at heart a dreamer, someone who imagines, yearns and hopes. It’s why you’re an excellent poet, an excellent friend, among other things.

        Unfortunately, this often brings about disappointment, when your beasts fail to live up to the better future you desire. This is when their monstrosities begin to growl.

        Discouraging as this is, I hope it doesn’t sway your course. The world needs more dreamers like you.

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        1. Your alternative is… Surprising. And generous. I appreciate it, Keith.

          I am obliged by habit, however, to point out that it’s not me who notes malformity. I am blind to it, often. It is only as others lay out all the things that a person has said and done, and insist that it all must be interpreted in the worst possible ways (admittedly… I’m not very fond of that approach) do I begin to consider that maybe there IS such a thing as evil and maybe I SHOULD be weighing a person’s moral worth. I tend to start with mine. Funnily enough, that never turns out well.

          By the way… You don’t have to tell me, but I do wonder what your theories were.

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          1. In that case, Rachel, who cares?

            Who has the better sense of things? The rock-thrower who knows little and understands even less, or the sensitive soul who connects with the marginalized?

            Yet you have the instinct and the wisdom to consider the ethics involved. As for this modern conceit we can’t rely on morality, it’s nonsense. We do it constantly; it’s called “survival.” Which is better, A or B? Should I do this, or the other thing? Do I agree, or disagree?

            It’s the means by which we determine how to approach the situation. We use morality to determine what will be the most helpful path forward. You’re no exception, Rachel!

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            1. Am I not? In my mind, morality means right and wrong. It is a concrete truth, even if we do not see it. But then… Everybody has different definitions of right and wrong. So what’s it worth? I could argue that my definitions are closest to the truth; but that would be an arrogant, baseless assumption. And to some degree, doesn’t survival depend on bending to society? Sometimes the better option is to put your personal preferences aside and do as you must.

              And, yes… it does occur to me that it’s quite ironic for me to be arguing that I’m right about being wrong. 😅

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              1. Doesn’t doing what you must also express morality, Rachel?

                You identify ethics correctly as being right and wrong, but beyond that, you determine the best way of advancing the former while mitigating the latter. Which achieves the greater good, a stand on principle, or a more nuanced approach which, nonetheless, moves the dial slightly in a positive direction?

                Both, at times, are useful, actually. Plus, as you mention, my definition of “morality” often is opposite my neighbor’s. So be it. Point is, it’s complex, as anything relating to civilization is. We, as individuals, do the best we can to keep things moving. People did the same tens of thousands of years ago, as they will tens of thousands of years from now.

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    1. Heh, indeed. Ghosts are swinging from trees, witches are standing in wait, yards are strewn with bones and gravestones… and the wind, a few months shy of a year old, is just learning to bite. …More or less. A lovely season it is.

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          1. I just listened to the weather forecast as we’ve had an all-day rain here in SE Michigan and they said fog again tomorrow morning, possibly heavy due to the rain. It is spooky. I have been walking when it is light fog, so I just stay in the neighborhood and the trees are bare and that’s all you see in the distance. Creepy.

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