Dancing with Shadow

The problem with the left right now — no, I know they have many, but hear me out — is that they don’t acknowledge their shadow. In this sense, they’re not fully adults, and they do the most bizarre things because they think of themselves as “the good people” as though being good were bestowed by assignment at birth. In fact you could say all their other problems come from being unable to acknowledge their shadow.

What I mean by shadow is… well, it’s not like Peter Pan when he lost his shadow.

I do not know if it’s a term of art, or just something that I picked up somewhere and liked. It’s entirely possible it’s Jungian, since I read a lot of Jung as a young (eh) woman.

But it’s like this: All of us have the virtues of our vices. And vice versa. If you’re a naturally loud, expansive extrovert, it’s likely you sometimes run over people with talk or whatever you’re doing without even noticing. Also, you might be prone to run over other people’s concerns and thoughts, and know it, but think something like “Well, if it were important to them, they should say something.” And if you’re someone who is passionate about defending the powerless, this can overspill into chasing down people you think are unrighteous, to prevent them doing harm to the powerless, whether or not they ever even thought about doing anything. A love for the truth can and often does become corrupted into not wanting to listen to anyone else, or wanting our opponents to shut up because “they lie.”

This is in fact the shadow self, by which good becomes corrupted.

Heinlein, in The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress said that adulthood was defined by knowing you’d one day die. This was never as difficult for me as for most people, for the simple reason that I was a very sickly child and every year I survived was a minor miracle of sorts. As such, I had picked up I might be gone at any time, and often while going to cemetery on All Saints Days and lighting candles on the grave of the little cousin just about my age who died when I was almost three and she was three, I looked at it like other kids might look around a business that is within their “When I grow up.” I just knew it was likely as not to be my permanent residence in the short term. This wasn’t difficult to accept, because it was the way it was. (That I’ve had a long and wonderful run is just something to be grateful for, always.)

To me, though, at some point, the idea that accepting that you — yes, you — are capable of most of the evils and atrocities of mankind became my “bar” to adulthood.

Look, being good is not something you’re given. It’s not in your DNA. You can’t say “He’s blond, blue eyed and good” or “she’s dark skinned, has black hair and is good” from the minute a baby is born. They don’t stamp “archvillain” in your birth certificate. (Though a story is trying to land, and I’d like it to go away, as I’m already full up.)

Grandmother used to say “you don’t paint yourself” meaning that we are born with certain innate characteristics. And she was right. I’m never going to be a graceful dancer. And at some point when I was twelve I realized I was never going to be tall and willowy. Psychological tendencies are there too. I’m never going to be calm in the fact of trouble — though I’m calmer now than even ten years ago. I’m never going to enjoy social functions. I’m never going to have the sort of concentration that doesn’t get squirreled by everything and anything.

BUT to an extent you do make yourself. I worked hard and no longer fall over both my feet while standing still. (Okay fine. I RARELY fall over both my feet.) I no longer spaz at the slightest thing. I’ve moved to the next level of spazing bait. And I no longer squirrel so much nothing gets done. (I defeated those with mind-tricks when I was 14.)

And despite the fact I can get very angry, and I am a very emphatic person, I have never tried to kill anyone in cold blood. And I certainly don’t run around advocating anyone kill anyone else, unless in self defense.

But I know what I am. I know what I’m capable of. I know that given just a little more weakness in front of temptation, I’d already have taken to the hills with a Kalashnikov. Which would be bad, and not only because I’m no longer of an age and was never of a sex for such adventures but also because if it got to that point I’d not exactly be discriminating as to who is a target. And that’s bad, because other people are people too, not just mental constructs I can dispose of as I please.

So I watch myself all the time, and I actively work on being good. Not NICE. Nice isn’t necessarily good, and in fact you can fool yourself that you’re so nice, you must also be good.

The left does not know they can be bad. No, seriously, they have no clue. They became leftists partly because they thought that made them good, on the side of the “good” people and inevitably winning the arrow of history stuff.

I’m not talking out my behind. Studies have been done. People who vote “progressive” are more likely to commit minor acts of dishonesty, be nasty to someone, or behave in ways that are detrimental to others.

Because, you see, they think they’re the good people by the way they vote. No other work required.

But humans are humans. All of us have the potential to be very evil indeed. The incentives vary and what would get us there, but all of us are evil.

It is the fact that the left denies their shadow that doesn’t allow them to realize that being concerned over over-population should NEVER cross over to wanting to kill everything and everyone living. Being concerned over children being mistreated shouldn’t bleed over into abortion is better than not being perfectly loved at every moment. Thinking the other guy governs stupidly should never bleed over into wanting to kill everyone who votes the way you don’t like.

In fact, if you look above the left falls into murdery desires a lot, because they don’t admit the shadow.

The shadow likes death. After all, death is so clean and permanent.

And those who deny the existence of the shadow leave the door wide open to falling into its mode of thought.

Forever.

How do we fix it? Pointing out that no one is good by fiat is a good beginning. If you’re a writer, show your characters struggling with their shadow selves.

And keep pointing out when the left crosses over to just wanting everyone dead. Which is a lot. Really a lot.

Keep pointing out the evil inherent in wanting everything and everyone you think opposes you dead.

And keep doing it.

Will it work? For the future maybe. For the present? I don’t know.

All we can do is hold up the mirror. And hope they catch a glimpse.