A Fable on Having to Resist, The Mechanics of Virtue, aphorism 312

312

A Fable on Having to Resist: I constantly worry that I might accidentally shoot my fellow soldier. My constant resistance against any complacency or negligence on my part is more than I can endure. It would be a solution it seems to discard the gun altogether. Now I do not have to resist the constant worry of shooting my fellow soldier ... but then again, I have no means of aiding him in the defense of our common enemy. I have in fact contributed to the probability of his being shot by the enemy for the fact that I have avoided the possibility of shooting him myself. Now that I must resist this new worry and cannot do otherwise, I accept the gun and the discipline that the weapon requires. I accept that I will always resist ... even if that resistance is consequent of my capitulation of the notion of resistance. And knowing this, wouldn't a courageous and disciplined resistance against my enemy be the more honorable solution? 

Moral: Putting oneself in a position where one has to constantly resist a petty distraction is a blunder: one dodges the indulgence successfully, but in the process becomes a mere reaction to it. Understood. But to then believe that there can be situations without any resistance is a greater blunder. Ironically, we need our obstacles. We advance through propulsion and require a limit against which we might spring forward. Our strategy then is to trade an inferior for a superior resistance – and accepting even a weak resistance is superior to the futile pursuit of no resistance.

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