The Myth of Good vs. Evil

Sapience,

With the war between Chaos and Good officially over (for the time
being), Id like to speak on another subject: the issue of Good vs. Evil.
It has long been held that these two ideological forces are
diametrically opposed in their views; that they stand on two sides of a
great divide. However, I challenge the veridicality of these statements.
I propose that rather than being complete opposites, they instead share
a few points in common. The points they have in common are the
fundamental respect for Creation, the willingness to preserve Creation,
and the promotion of Creation.

Good is defined as a force which seeks to preserve creation, and to
further the expansion and well-being of such. It is for this reason
which Good is constantly in conflict with Chaos. By its very definition
the word chaos implies a state of extreme disorder, which puts it direct
conflict with the purposefulness and design of Creation. Taken in an
older, and original sense, chaos is a state of formlessness, the void
from which Creation came to be, and came to occupy. This void too is
antithetical to Creation. By waging war against those who seek to return
the world to a state of Chaos,* the followers of Good are seeking to
protect Creation.
Evil, on the other hand, is defined as a force which seeks to strengthen
Creation through elimination of weakness. While its methods may seem
cruel to some, there is no denying the fact that cruelty is a thread
weaved into the very fabric of Creation. Take Nature for instance: while
the slaughter of cute animals such as deer and rabbits by other animals
such as wolves and bears might seem cruel, it remains a matter of fact
that the very survival of the attacking animals depends on this act. In
turn, we, the mortal races of the world, slaughter the carnivorous
animals for -our- survival, as protection against them, as a way of
preserving their pray for ourselves, and for using them as food as well.
Evil performs this function in Creation. By eliminating weakness (which
infects Creation like a disease), Evil ensures that Creation is strong
enough to survive her enemies.

Good seeks to protect Creation from without; Evil seeks to advance it
from within.

Without a fundamental respect for creation, neither ideology would be as
voracious in carrying out their duties as they are. Without a
willingness to preserve Creation, neither would be as committed. And
without a willingness to promote Creation, neither side would be as
dedicated.

Why then does each side always seem to be in opposition? I believe that
the answer to this is due to a disconnect in reasoning on the part of
the followers of Good from what they believe their duty to be. From what
I gather, and I welcome a more knowledgeable person to correct me if I
am wrong, the followers of Good seek to preserve Creation at any cost,
under any circumstances. However, Creation herself proves the folly of
this. I again turn to Nature (as it is a part of Creation and deals with
living things):
Imagine a group of deer which live way up in the Northreach. These
animals depend on swiftness and camouflage to survive. Now, imagine that
one of these animals has broken a leg on a slippery rock, or had a close
encounter with an Arachnoi after wandering too far west and gotten
injured. Its with its group, grazing, when a pack of wolves suddenly
appear. If the group stays behind with the injured animal, theres a good
chance that most will be slaughtered, however, the rest of the group
takes off. They preserve the group, minus one, rather than allow
themselves to be further diminished in number.

If the followers of Good insist on staying behind with the weak, the
injured, and the helpless, if they insist on cultivating these
sub-standard qualities, then they will lead Creation to the slaughter.
Rather, the followers of Good need to recognize the role that Evil has
to play in Creation, and not let the possible misnomers of ideologies
figure into the carrying out of such ideologies.

One final point I would like to make is that all of these ideologies are
essentially religious in nature. Each is introduced into this world, and
espoused by a member of the Garden. The religious orders are the focal
points for this introduction into the world, and the members of these
orders the primary mortal mouthpieces. The rest of the population either
chose to affiliate themselves to one of these world-views, or to
distance themselves from them all. If every single living creature in
this world were destroyed, the Gods would still exist, and their
ideologies with them. Therefore it is important to note that it is
followers of one ideology waging war against the followers of another,
rather than against the ideologies themselves. To wage war against an
ideology is almost as stupid as say trying to eliminate terrorism
(against the forests of course); such mindsets are not quantifiable and
therefore there is no rule by which to measure whether or not one side
is winning. To influence an immaterial ideology requires something
likewise immaterial: rationality and intellect. In short, stop being
stupid, people.

-Rikeshar Kaimelar


Penned by my hand on the 20th of Chronos, in the year 465 AF.