evil exists, and it lives on a hill

Violence is in our nature. However, are ability to choose to avoid it (i.e. our sentient minds) is what separates us from animals. It's also what makes us less efficient fighters than, say monkeys. Civilization may only be a thin vein over who we "really are" to some people, but it doesn't mean that it can't exist without struggle.





Vader is a classic example of this.

I like to think of good and evil like this:

Evil is merely darkness. And darkness is merely an absence of light. It cannot exist without light and is not a "thing" in it's own right. If you walk into a completely dark room with even the smallest amount of light (say a candle or even a match) it immediately acts against the darkness and illuminates some of the room. No matter how small the amount of light, it pierces the darkness.

On the other hand, you can't walk into an extremely well lit room with a tiny amount of darkness in your hands and pierce the light. The only way to remove light is to take it all away at source.

Violence can be used as a tool and as I've said here before, if you have to use violence it should be without mercy. But Mark's right, it's a last resort. I would like to think of love as the light I've just spoken of. If we all cared about other people more, and not just ourselves, the world might not be in the state it's in which so easily precipitates violence and chaos.

The Joker is another excellent study in this regard in The Dark Knight. He talks about the psychology of Gotham and people in general and it's fascinating what he is able to achieve by himself. His control over the city is absolute and to bring it back to my earlier post, he is the opposite reaction of the Bat pushing against crime. The dualism of the two characters is incredibly interesting if you choose to be interested beyond merely watching the movie.

I dunno how to shrink to size ..

It’s a book I intent to read before I watch the film which, given that it’s an Alan Moore story, has not transferred well if the critics I’ve read are anything to go by (hence me not in a rush to see it). As yet, I don’t think any of Moore’s stories have made a comfortable, nay successful, transition from paper to screen.

Agreed. But the movie offers an accessible and extremely compelling introduction to a wider subject.

True, though I think Watchmen came close even though it was doomed to begin with due to the weight of fanboy expectation. From Hell was OK but miscast and had weird druggy elements brought in that were very out of place.

Is anybody else wondering about a seemingly inevitable war with Iran from questionable motives?

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/04/2010428151451294682.html

Is it part of a wider plot to destabilize the region to control oil?

Does that give any credence to theories of big business control of governments?

Heretic!!!!!

Why when making films do they need to bloody change everything

buts its probably the Xists fault and woe betide all those without slack when they arrive on X-day on a harvest mission from the Elder Gods. The Conspiracy have you all

Are you drunk?

Mark

Nope
But after 4 days of Advanced Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points your mind can go a bit odd, also you are obviously not a sub-genius

I agree and I immediately judge people to be of weak mind if they label someone as such.

It's a cop out when people either can't or won't understand, not that I imply there has to be any agreement with behaviour only that one is willing to examine the actions that led to it.

You can only say something is evil if you don't think it should be done.

Kill one child to save 100 people or let the child live at the expense of 100 people, both options are justifiably evil depending on view.

Torchwood 3rd season?

Torchwood 3rd season?[/quote]

No, just played a lot of Fable

No, just played a lot of Fable [/quote]
oh I played that too!