I read this wonderful passage from Verse 31 in the Tao-Te Ching by Lao Tzu today. The Tao is a classic Chinese text and is fundamental for both philosophical and religious Taoism. Many of its ideas are still applicable to today's societies and I think this is an especially relevant passage:
Weapons are the tools of violence;
all decent men detest them.
Weapons are the tools of fear;
a decent man will avoid them
except in the direst necessity
and, if compelled, will use them
only with the utmost restraint.
Peace is his highest value.
If the peace has been shattered,
how can he be content?
His enemies are not demons,
but human beings like himself.
He doesn't wish them personal harm.
Nor does he rejoice in victory.
How could he rejoice in victory
and delight in the slaughter of men?
He enters a battle gravely,
with sorrow and with great compassion,
as if he were attending a funeral.
Violence is something that we are all aware of. It's on the news frequently, and has come to overwhelm the entertainment industry (in movies, music, and especially in video games). Peaceful interactions and resolutions to conflict can be difficult to attain but it is important to aspire for peace in any situation. I am all for self defense and defense of loved ones and innocents if the situation calls for it, but I think violence should be abstained from as much as possible. Read Sam Harris's excellent essay on the morality of self-defense here, and I agree with a lot of his ideas on it. However, the last passage in the 31st verse of the Tao is all the more relevant in cases such as these.
