Competition & Conflict

Manu wrote:

ZealotX wrote: Nature is in constant conflict. Almost every life form on the planet seems to have to compete and that competition for survival results in the forms life takes expressing new abilities and greater proficiencies.

I think, sometimes competition is viewed as a negative and a lot of people (in my opinion) naturally seem more drawn to what they think is the darkside or at least some measure of "grey" because their ideal picture of a light side Jedi is one that maybe shuns competition in which offence and defense are both important.

So what about you? How do you think about the light side in terms of competition and conflict? Are they mutually exclusive? Incompatible? How do you feel about it?

You are spot on with your thought (bold added by me). Many a Jedi pushing to make Jediism a modern version of asceticism is exactly why Sithism was born as a countermovement to such escapist views.

Competition is natural. Conflict is unavoidable. To the Krishnamurti point of view, I would add "be careful what you compete for"

Being WARY is a basic in most Modern day anything hu?

Jedi Teaching 4. Jedi are wary of attachments, both material and personal. The obsession over possessions and people creates the fear of losing those possessions and relationships which can cause ourselves to be trapped in a state of depression and loss.

Sesame Street: Robin Williams: Conflict
https://youtu.be/Gl3e-OUnavQ


Just to see yall smile really, Force be with y,all today!

I am very much a light side Jedi. I would like to see more light side Jedi. But instead of people believing they must be some kind of super woke pacifist I'd like more people to see light as more optimistic, dark as more pessimistic, and grey as more pragmatic.

I do lean towards pragmatism myself but only as much as I learn, in my old age (42 lol), to doubt the more positive potential of human nature in others. In other words, For myself and all those who I can touch with my influence, I want to affect the greatest good as a beacon of light and positive energy. At the same time, we, as a society have demons. We have personal demons and collective demons. And I believe this is natural and that these demons offer us "resistance".

And when we talk about growth... resistance is always part of the equation. Imagine if you went to the gym and there wasn't anything there that offered any resistance. The gym would be almost completely empty (scientifically it would be empty because gravity is also resistance).

To me, there is no option not to battle these demons. Not battling these demons is simply surrender. And so fighting is our natural state of survival. The only question is what are you fighting for?