Canneta Di Caronia Fires

by Glenn Morley, Nov/Dec 2012

First, some background. During a recent trip to the West by myself, I had a particular interest in air guns and bullets. I particularly focused my attention on their design and relative power. The stuff that blows around could be described only as destructive, unless it is the core-thing we all share, nature. To me, the most dangerous thing is the way nature itself destroys us. And, sometimes, nature makes the tools we need to destroy ourselves. Now, I can't speak for anyone who happens to live in the North Country. Mine are on quite different paths. So let me put the question briefly: Have we learned anything lately about human destruction?

In my experience, this is a question that becomes urgent when the issue of violence seems largely peripheral. The truth is, while some level of violence is necessary for us to survive, that violence is not always relevant. We often turn to the dark side because we do not like to feel imprisoned or manipulated, or find ourselves unable to explore the depths of our self-destructive behaviors. In short, at times the violence gets out of hand, and we seem to need it to restore our balance. At other times, the violence precipitates a truly self-destructive path. But even though violence is difficult to avoid, it is there for those who really dare to face themselves, and truly know how evil they are.

I think the truth hits home all too frequently in my own life. One day you just want a little bit of that, and someone tells you, "You've never been happy." The next day, you want none of that, but you're caught up in some grim struggle with angry fathers and impulsive girlfriends, and don't have any clue what comes next. But what exactly is the definition of happiness?

The definition of happiness is individual freedom—freedom from the tyranny of others (the outside world) and its value judgments (that's the meat). Those aren't hard feelings, they are simple truths. Also, the paradoxical quality of suffering is that people can choose pain, and once they start having it, they can deny ever having felt any joy at all.

What is right here? You will enjoy the taste of freedom today, and if your past records are any indication, tomorrow you will have to hurt deeply again.