Generally, I am against violence unless it is in self defense. I am against all destructiveness and destructive initiation or criminal behavior without a reason for self-defense. With that, in fact, I begin this article. Violence and fear without a logical and honest reason behind it is the worst way to live. That’s one of the reasons I just call this article “The Gun.” What does destruction and violence of any genuine kind represent more than a weapon? What does irrational force and the seizure of power represent more than a weapon used in a criminal or destructive way? Nothing does.
The weapon is light years beyond the fist, the sword or the knife in that sense of violence and destruction. Sure, there are things beyond the weapon like the grenade, the bomb or the destructive trap. But what does destruction represent more than the weapon could? If the grenade, bomb or landmine has a platinum destructive power. The weapon represents the gold standard in violence in destruction.
As a myriad of philosophers based on irrationality and rational philosophers in history have honestly said one way or another: Power comes in two more obvious ways: cool cooperation with a great idea or the weapon, force or the threat of destruction.
However, many laws are made, no matter how powerful the law is, know this: Power is power and it is mainly won in those two ways, cooperation with a great idea or weapon and the threat of death and destruction of some kind. Our “modern and civilized” times are no exception to this rule at all. In fact, we see the reality of this all the time, really.
So the gun is the gold standard of irrational power, and there are worse things and softer things in rational and irrational persuasion. One thing’s for sure, those with the gold make the rules a golden rule by considering the genuine nature of power, whether it’s a weapon, an army, votes, or a great, great idea. Power goes to those who genuinely have it.
The life and death of reality is with those in power, anyway. Defensive or offensive, power is power. So the weapon is neutral, it all depends on how it is used and understood. Offensive, irrational crime or rational self-defense strategy to protect ourselves rationally, when we have the power, we have a choice. When we don’t have the power, it is chosen by us.