I have noticed recent trends in the discussion of society in general. We have on one hand a segment of people seeing humanity subverted by corporations into virtual slavery. Exploitation by the system!
That topic reminds me of the Hippies who were saying that exact same thing back in the early 60s...
On the other hand we have people of recent, decrying the level of vitriol in social discussion and suggesting it leads to violence...
Now this sets up a silly scenario. Complain about your oppressors nicely! That is hardly human nature.
In cases of oppression, either real or perceived, it is historically the pattern that the oppressed would rise up preferring war over oppression, and saw war as the remedy for and relief from oppression.
But there are a couple of notable exceptions. Gandhi resisted oppression non-violently and in his footsteps we find, perhaps the most remarkable American, Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Imagine the discipline it took and the courage that it took not to lash out in violence in the face of real oppressions that tore at the souls of its victims.
Jesus spoke of turning the other cheek. I think there are times more common that we face soul devouring words more often than real oppression. The tongue is an unruly thing almost universally. How do we respond?
I think it is important to realize that if there were men who took the high ground even in the face of real oppressions, instead of making war, and had the constitution to be voices of reason in the face of institutionalized insanity, then shouldn't we have at least the capacity to respond to unruly words with maturity and adult calm? Somebody needs to be the adult. So why not have the courage to not fear unreasonable or even vitriolic words, but rise above them with a magnanimous spirit..?
