Sunday, September 15, 2024

The Cost of Staying True: The Struggle Between Humanity and Conscience 🌿


"It doesn't matter how good a person you are; you will be seen as the worst person the moment you make your first mistake." 📜 This quote by Bukowski illustrates how superficial and variable societal judgments can be. However, the reality is that you don’t even need to make a mistake to be perceived as a bad person. Sometimes, simply saying something that doesn’t please interest groups, criticizing a wrong action, or issuing a warning can immediately label you as a bad person in the eyes of others.

The real issue is not whether you are seen as a bad person by others, but whether your own conscience is at peace. 💭 When you explain a mistake and point out the truths in your field, it may not sit well with interest groups. However, what truly matters is not remaining silent about those mistakes. When you take a stance that contradicts the interests of a community or workplace, encountering people's reactions is inevitable. But it is essential to remember how important that stance is for the public good and standing against wrongdoings. 🌱

Many of us are sometimes seen as rivals because thinking about public interests instead of personal benefits can be perceived as dangerous. But this is where the real struggle begins. Standing against wrongs, even if it appears bad from the outside, requires true courage, which comes from standing by your truths. Despite threats, slander, and even defamation, staying true and preserving one's intrinsic values is the greatest struggle. 💪

A person's moral reckoning comes first and foremost. In this reckoning, the most important question is not the fear of being portrayed as bad but whether you have prevented wrongdoing. Defending the truth, no matter the cost, is the essence of being human, isn’t it? 🌿 As my late professor often emphasized, this struggle is the fundamental element that makes us human; every truth requires a struggle and a price.

We frequently encounter this deep struggle in Bukowski's works: the complex structure of society and individuals reveals the inner conflicts of a person and their moral reckoning. Ibn Khaldun also emphasizes the importance of social interactions. Society constantly subjects individuals to an evaluation process, but the foremost struggle is the one with oneself.

In conclusion, the difficulty of being human lies not in others' judgments but in the responsibility we have toward our own conscience. 🌟 What matters is the ability to stand firm against wrongdoing and advocate for the truth. This, contrary to Bukowski's pessimistic view, aligns with Rumi's saying, "Look not at the body, but at the face of the soul." Keeping your soul clean is the true meaning of being human. 💫

References 📖
Bukowski, C. (1994). Pulp. New York: Black Sparrow Press.
Rumi. (2007). Masnavi (V. İzbudak, Trans.). Istanbul: MEB Publications.
Ibn Khaldun. (2005). Muqaddimah (M. Şükrü Hanioğlu, Trans.). Istanbul: İletişim Publications. Let me know if you need any further assistance!

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