This is another one that I couldn’t find the reference for but, if I had to guess, I would hazard that it is likely Confucian in origin – this, of course, is just a hunch. Although, I have been able to find it referred to in an academic paper regarding a ‘common belief’ somehow associated to Hinduism; If I find more later, I’ll correct this post.
This was an entry in the Kung Fu Exercise Book that was previously referenced back in KFEB #5 (“The perfect man leaves no trace of his conduct.”), providing counterpoint to my argument there. Generally, yes, people who are doing something bad don’t want others to know about it – but there is a graduated scale here. IE – Murderers generally work alone, but thieves etc., aren’t really able to work solo, so they generally have teams or other clandestine support… such as lookouts.
Ah, and I do love a good caper movie… but that’s not the point here.
When I was a kid, this one didn’t make a heck of a lot of sense beyond the first line – the supportive argument didn’t seem to help the point, in my understanding. I was a comic book kid (still am, just bigger), and I remember looking at the ethics of the heroes and villains decisions, and applied these lessons in my real life – minus the grandiose scale of their powers and problems, of course.
So, when I read this – and I remember this rather vividly upon reflection – that I wondered “Well – Batman has a ‘gang’, and doesn’t he do right? What about the Justice League? Or the Avengers” (to mix universes…)
The villains had faceless hordes following their orders and committing vile acts to further their boss’ agenda, which would be more in line with this lesson, but the aforementioned problem still exists – If my heroes worked in teams against greater evil, then did this KFEB lesson really apply anymore?
Yes, based on fiction, admittedly – but it does help one to conceptualize. The police are supposed to be good people (we won’t get into that – so, we’ll stick to the ideal), and they work in partnerships and teams – and they are supposed to be the ones who ensure that others do right…
SWAT works in teams – with snipers (lookouts) and the like, working in tandem to achieve a goal; so, yeah – admittedly, there are some issues with this particular one… although, I know some people who would argue that a government proves the point… (A little cheeky, I know.)
Here is what I think this is trying to tell us – Don’t be afraid to do the right thing on your own. Just because things may have been done a certain way all along, doesn’t mean that it is the right way – and a good person will see that, and try to point it out. Yes, you’re going to get flak for it because you’re ‘making waves’ or ‘whistle blowing’ – but if whatever being done is wrong on an ethical or moral point, then ignoring it is implied consent. If you don’t have the power to change it – don’t support it. Easier said than done, I know…
But the only way that evil prospers is when good people do nothing (to borrow from Edmund Burke again, as I did in KFEB #18)… and, generally, those good people have to decide to act on their own first.
Without getting into too many specifics, this particular entry struck me rather hard while I was in basic training (a long time ago). After the group had synchronized, and we’d figured out everyone’s strengths and areas of development, friendships had formed, etc., and lots of things were happening – it was basic training, and there was ALWAYS something to do as well, so everyone was rather busy.
I remember being in the laundry room, doing laundry, but also ensuring that the room was mostly clean so as to expedite our timing for inspection in the morning when a female platoon-mate on the course came in, closed the door, and just sat crumpled on the floor for a moment.
I asked her what was up, and she confided in me that she was being harassed by one of the guys in the platoon – and had had enough. We talked for a while, and she explained what was said, etc., as well as how long it was going on. She explained that she had already said that the advances were not welcome, etc., yet the behaviour continued.
Now, this guy was someone that I would talk to and hang out with on a regular basis, and I had told him many times in the past that some of what he was saying was awkward at best, and could be considered sexual harassment… other things he said were overtly over the line.
So, I talked to him – and things went south from there. He was a popular guy in the platoon – liked by almost everybody, myself included. But there are some things I cannot abide, and sexual harassment is one of them… So, when he didn’t change his attitude or otherwise apologize for his actions, it was my decision to report his activity.
Many of you are either thinking that I ratted him out, while others are thinking that I should have done it sooner. The circumstances were dynamic, and I did what I thought was best at the time… What would later be revealed is that the woman was not an isolated case, and four or five others came forward after to share their experiences, and the man would later be charged.
Of interesting note, the issue was not resolved here; I would go on to be vilified for having been the whistle-blower, and lost many friends… There was even a small group that was formed, a clique of sorts, that’s entire mandate was to ostracize me – and had even thought that they would try to execute some ‘barracks justice’ on me (which never happened, for various reasons).
I was alone, and I did what I thought was right… but the solitude was socially imposed!
At the graduation ceremony, some of those who had ostracized me would come up and apologize – and others came up months to years later for the same… All saying something to the effect that they would later come to realize that they felt guilty for knowing about it, and letting it happen, or that they just didn’t want to admit that they were wrong.
THIS is when I understood the lesson brought forward here.
There are times in our lives that we are told to ‘pick our battles’, or something of the like, but these things are generally said too often in my opinion. When someone disagrees with something on an ethical or moral basis, then they SHOULD fight that battle… when we rein ourselves in on those topics, it creates implied consent – and we’ll either come to accept things as they are, because we didn’t fight the battle to begin with, or forget what battles are worth fighting for altogether.
So, do right – and expect to be alone while you stand up against larger forces… have the strength to go the distance alone, and you won’t need a gang to make your point – but when others come to realize what the right thing is, their help will be a benefit…
