Dark, Light or Grey?

Solice wrote: I think a useful thing here would be a definition of terms. Are we taking light to mean moral? Dark amoral? Grey somewhere inbetween?

Generally speaking I'd say its up to the individual to use the most useful concepts in terms of their own progress. Not only in their actions but also thoughts. Things like emotions etc can relate into that domain of thought while action can relate to morals for example. Unless we are talking about self sacrifice, which I think is where the concept of dark has its greatest merit for it merges thought and action in deep and twisted ways without extending out to influence others so much - avoiding the sticky issues of morality. Plus it gets to relate to all the bitey stuff like passion, smoke and mirrors etc with the benefit of a real outcome and a real cost (to oneself) if taken seriously. But like in the movies, being self absorbed tends to twist how the world appears in one of 2 ways, everyone is out to get you or everyone is not worthy of your greatness :lol:

Just my opinion of course!!!

But yea they can be applied to morals or emotions and probably most often are so because the Star Wars fiction tended to fit those patterns - but its not taught here that way AFAIK, and indeed Lesson 2 in the IP has the whole Alan Watt's Game of Black and White chapter as a task to wrench the reader out of habitual interpretation and being trapped in the cycle of reinforcing preexisting worldviews. I think most everyone here when asked about it in terms of morals would admit to being grey, but perhaps pointing towards the light. Such that I think it has the most meaning as a direction of effort/intention rather then a location - but that is me focusing on thought more then action again, because its more in my control. I just find action to be very if not entirely circumstantial?

Solice wrote: I think a useful thing here would be a definition of terms. Are we taking light to mean moral? Dark amoral? Grey somewhere inbetween? If so then I would say I would always strive to be what I would define as moral, but occasionally fail as we all do. Now if we're taking light/grey/dark as areas of the emotional spectrum that we draw upon as loosely defined in the Star wars mythology (ie anger is dark, compassion is light) I'm of the camp that the place your comes from doesn't really matter as long as your emotions don't consume you and you still act in accordance of what you call good. So grey I would guess.

If you are talking definitions of terms then what is Moral? What you define as moral may not be considered moral by another. Also I would hope that in real life we would not be using a movie to define our emotional spectrum. In fact there is no clear consensus on what emotions can be grouped with others. For example, one view of the emotional spectrum divides them among calm states and violent passions. In this case Love, hatred, grief and joy are all grouped into the same category of violent passions - making the traditional assignment of "light or dark" meaningless.

When I think light, my eyes cast upwards towards the Sun, Moon, and Stars. When I think dark, I look towards the undersides of the leaves, the unlit cellar, and the depths of a cave. Downwards and underneath towards the dark, upwards and on top towards the light.

And there is no problem with either side of the Force. The Light can guide us, but sometimes the answer we seek is in the deepest caves. We must learn to use both to better the lives of those around us, yet remained balanced within.