In his book 12 RULES FOR LIFE AN ANTIDOTE TO CHAOS, on Page 25, in the chapter where you are to stand up straight with your shoulders back, Jordan writes of what happens to sheltered soldiers that suffer post-traumatic stress because they turned into monsters in extreme battlefield conditions and did not know that they had that capacity.
He is suggesting that we must live in the truth, realizing that we are born evil with stronger penchant for cruelty than kindness, towards ourselves and others, but that kind, weaker side can be strengthened until it is the dominant force in our free will.
Jordan wants young people to know themselves and all of their capacities, from being saintly heroes all the way to enjoying hurting people as a Nazi concentration camp guard if we were alive then, and most of us would have sided with the Nazis. We cannot grow until we come to grips consciously with all of our capacities.
Let me quote Jordan: When the wakening occurs--when once-naive people recognize in themselves the seeds of evil and monstrosity, and see themselves as dangerous (at least potentially) their fear decreases. They develop more self-respect. Then, perhaps, they begin to resist oppression. They see what they have the ability to withstand, because they are terrible too. They see they can and must stand up, because they begin to understand how genuinely monstrous they will become otherwise, feeding on their resentment, transforming it into the most destructive of wishes. To say it again: There is very little difference between the capacity for mayhem and destruction, integrated and strength of character. This is one of life's most difficult lessons."
We are complex and can destroy or build. It is easier to fail than to succeed at being virtuous, but that last two sentences are very eloquent.
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