Good v Evil

Today while in the library a little boy went missing. His mother obviously panicked and it took a few minutes for people to realise what was happening.

This little boy was missing less then ten minutes, but within that time people dropped what they were doing a and looked for him. Strangers felt this mothers terror with her. Everywhere I looked there was at least one other person looking with me, the staff searched behind locked doors, there where people out on the street. And then he was found, his mother had him back. People in the library looked at each other in genuine relief and spread the word  to those still looking. All this made me think. We hear all the time about the evil in the world. Every person in that building was concerned because we know that real monsters exist. That there are people out there who would do unspeakable things to a child if they had that opportunity. Because of that knowledge they looked, they did what they could to protect a child they didn't know from a threat that was only possible. What is that if not good? Maybe the knowledge of monsters does not just expose the evil in the world but also the good. Fifty years ago when people didn't acknowledge child abuse would the reaction have been the same?

There is a saying, "forewarned is forearmed" and now we are forewarned. However the way we seem to arn ourselves is to shut ourselves off from the good as well as the bad. We no longer (if we ever) see the good people do. The everyday kindnesses of others. After the library I walked past McDonald's, there was a man who worked there holding the door open for and old lady. It was his expression that struck me, he wasn't doing it because he had to, he did it joyfully. When the woman walked past she stopped and thanked him, calling him a gentleman. Is not this ability to give to other, to empathise and show kindness or concern for our fellow man not what we should focus on when we describe humanity. To expose and revere the good that can be done, as well as facing the truth of  the bad. I say this because I sometimes feel that knowing bad things happen and not being entirely confident in the good creates fear, in myself anyway.

Another very recent experience springs to mind, yesterday I was standing outside, there was an older woman near me and a group of four or five young people. One of the young men dropped a piece of litter on the ground even though there was a bin right beside him. The older woman immediately chastised him and told him to pick it up and put it in the bin. He did, with bad grace and then he and his friends began to insult her, not directly to her but to each other. The thing that struck me most at the time was that she had spoken up in the first place. Now thinking in reference to this subject I realise I should have supported her. She was right and he was wrong and then they where mean and rude. I should have told them to stop insulting her, it was disrespectful and way out of order. But I didn't, I felt fear, fear of conflict, fear of what might happen if I did. If I had though, and if other decent people did the same in similar situations would that not create a society where treating others so disrespectfully would become unacceptable? Is the risk worth the reward? Should we risk physical and verbal abuse in order to support each other? Should we put what is good and right before ourselves in order to create a place where we all feel safer and more secure in ourselves? Is our fear just self preservation against the rising tide or is it the thing stopping us from holding that tide back from becoming a tsunami?

I wonder if we have damned ourselves to powerlessness out of not knowing what is acceptable. I for one strain against what I view as immoral out of lack of confidence that I am right. I sometimes think that we are in an age where morality and 'right' are no longer clearly defined. The ages before us had religion, but that is dying out, we are expected to obey the law but it is not always relevant to our daily experiences. Is it not now the age when our education and knowledge should be put to a logical and practical use by defining, not through law or religious beliefs what we as people deem acceptable. Rather then being out for ourselves, focusing on the one rather then the many, rather then relying on a government and legal structure that cannot be expected to hold our hands and fix every little thing. Rather then letting someone else worry about it. Should we not take back the power? Take back control of our country and say I've had enough, I've had enough fear, enough uncertainty and enough disillusion, now I want more, I want better then yesterday. I want to be able to leave my bag beside me and look away knowing that even if one person in the room is a thief, the others will will stop them if they try to steal. I want to be able to walk home at night knowing that if I am attacked passers by will help me. There is safety in numbers and the good outnumber the bad. So maybe we should stop cowering from the bad, come out from under the covers and face our monsters head on. I know that if I saw more people do the right thing I would feel empowered to do the same. I am resolving to try and lead by example. I am not guaranteeing success, I may find the fear is stronger then my desire to do right. I may just be an idealistic fool, who is dreaming of something that cannot be. However I will hold onto the last thing left in the Pandora's box that is our world. Hope.