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Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quit
by hprotagonist 6y ago
Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that
something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so
bad as it was made out.
Is one's first feeling, 'Thank God, even they aren't quite so
bad as that,' or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling
to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as
possible?
If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process
which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to
wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we
shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we
shall insist on seeing everything -- God and our friends and ourselves included -- as
bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of
pure hatred.
-- C.S. Lewis
- Thorentis 6y agoAnd even worse than this, is that I see people go on to accuse the writer of the second story as being an apologist for the events in the first, and making them out to be even worse than the perpetrators of the first story. Essentially, whoever is the first to bring "bad things" to light, must be immediately trusted and considered completely truthful and no criticism is possible. Whoever "cancels" somebody first automatically wins. There is no chance for defence, counter-argument, or questioning the "evidence"/here-say. If you get in first with breaking a story, event, past mis-deed, then you win.
- me_me_me 6y agoIf you accused of crime and go to court, you will be guilty in the eyes of your neighbours no matter how baseless the court case was, no matter that someone else had confessed to that crime. That's the sad reality.
- pnt12 6y ago"That's the sad reality." That's debatable, or incredible cynic imo. But even if so, losing your job is not comparable to losing reputation.
- koheripbal 6y agoThere's an unfortunate problem with the volume of internet voices. Those with the most amount of free time, and the largest amount of outrage, have the loudest voices. It creates an unhealthy amplification of irrationality and emotional response.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- undefined1 6y ago“Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.” Friedrich W. Nietzsche
- zappo2938 6y agoAlso, 'Be careful when you cast out your demons that you don't throw away the best of yourself.' — Friedrich Nietzsche
- winter_blue 6y agoWhich book or writing of C.S. Lewis is this from? (Amazing quote by the way! Thank you for sharing.)
- tines 6y agoMere Christianity I believe.
- JMTQp8lwXL 6y agoMost people never see the second article amending the first. "A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." -- Mark Twain
- currere 6y agoIronically (perhaps deliberately?) your quote may be misattributed: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/07/13/truth/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/07/13/truth/
- yazfield 6y ago"Racist because it uses the word black negatively"