Goodness
I have felt much more thankful recently; especially for good community. Conversations have been outstanding, notably the ones this past Sunday at lunch with some newer friends. I don’t think I have much to say now, I am simply encouraged and am challenged to develop this simple joy into a richer vibrant fullness, which no doubt, if nurtured, will spring into everything I do.
It seems that so much intellectual and creative effort is spent in debunking things, I know that this is the case for me often enough. Perhaps I am being prodded into the more difficult task of uplifting things, or at least of saying something meaningful about goodness itself rather than sidling up to the task by pointing out all the worthlessness of other things in relation to the undefinable good.
Are you with me so far? What do you think?
i so wanted to respond to that one with a simple – “no,” just to be funny, but the reality is a resounding yes. i am with you. To a bit, exploring the same terrain.
I wonder why it is that we don’t have a more natural inclination to the ‘goodness’? Or maybe we do, we just don’t realize it.
Perhaps the good without its relation to the other side of good isn’t meaningful at all. If you never experienced the ‘badness’ of the world you wouldn’t take such pleasure in that joy you are experience.
Glad for you, Tim. Keep writing.
Both positive and negative ‘apologetics’ are needed. But I agree with you that the positive work, expressing and arguing for the good, is much more difficult. That job demands the very best, imaginatively and intellectually, that we can muster.
Even then, we can’t do it justice…but try we must!
good words all around! though I must call into question the statement, “Perhaps the good without its relation to the other side of good isn’t meaningful at all.”
I disagree with this. It seems clear that we do experience copious amounts of evil with the good, and that sometimes good is more easily recognized via the act of comparison and contrast with evil; however if good and evil have a symbiotic relationship than they both lose meaning and identity, which is a theory that you probably expound, Sphinx, but one I reject. I have no doubt that we will continue to have interactions in regard to that.
Tim–
A late response to this . . .
You seem to be suggesting that that which is truly Good is not merely the opposite of Bad or Evil, but is self-evident–once, that is, someone does the hard work of articulating it. Or have I just not had enough coffee this morning?
John B.: Is there really such a thing as too much coffee?
You’ve stated it exactly!
If I’m not mistaken, Aquinas maintained that evil was necessary for the good to be known. Even if one liked Aquinas, the reality of heaven would make it necessary to reject the argument outright.
I second the affirmative coffee statement!
Back to binaries gentlemen!
Not enough coffee in the world could prod me into this seductive conversation tonight–:-)
But I am happy to hear dear Tim is happy & most of all, encouraged. So am I, my friend. Must be something in our Water?