Francis Berger
  • Blog
  • My Work

The Devil You Don't Know Might Not Be a Devil at All

11/15/2021

5 Comments

 
"Better the devil you know than the devil you don't" is a possible (and probably very common) response to the manipulation and coercion of the birdemic peck agenda.

When confronted by threats of imminent job loss or other pecuniary punishments, people are quick to cling to the devil they know - income, security, stability - than try their luck with the devil they don't - unemployment, insecurity, instability.   

Though I imagine most who have resisted the peck until now understand that succumbing to the peck agenda in order to preserve a livelihood is a bad situation in and of itself, I suspect many end up complying because they believe the situation that awaits them if they don't comply will be infinitely worse. 

In all fairness, from a purely material perspective, it very well might be. 

But this immediately begs the question about what qualifies as worse. 

Now some people - families with small children, those with limited job opportunities or skills, whatever - may not have a great deal of wiggle room when it comes to walking away from jobs or being sacked from livelihoods over the peck.

At the same time, I get the sense that the old adage about devils you know and devils you don't amounts to a wrong approach to the peck agenda challenge. 

To begin with, there is something inherently dispiriting about the "devil you know and devil you don't" paradigm because it automatically removes the potential of a good or better situation should people willingly choose to abandon the devil they know. 

From a Romantic Christian perspective, I believe it is deeply wrong to conceptualize one's circumstances as being stuck between two devils for the simple reason that it completely removes God from the equation. 

In simple terms, the devil you don't know is a knee-jerk reaction against faith and creativity. It immediately negates faith in the possibility that a good decision (refusing the peck to save job that may not be all that good anyway) might actually lead one from a bad situation (an employer using coercive tactics to force you to do something you don't want to do) to a good or better situation (another job where you may not have to endure such things or perhaps another way of earning income that might land you in better circumstances).

Material considerations aside, it also sidesteps the spiritual "better" that arises should one decide to abandon the devil they know. 


The devil you don't know is also an affront against spiritual creativity, which entails a certain degree of risk-taking in order to think and act creatively in harmony with divine creation.

Within the devils paradigm, the devil you know represents the comfort, security, and familiarity of the System as well as the call to stay with the System, but of what good is the comfort, security, and familiarity if the price you are being asked to pay for it includes being manipulated and coerced by the System toward something you know to be wrong and evil?

Once again, I understand that not everyone is free to choose in this situation, but I suspect many are far freer to choose than they present themselves to be. 

Instead of "better the devil you know than the devil you don't" why not think in terms "worse the devil I know that the angel I don't".

Yeah, the phrase has a kind of cheesy Hallmark card quality to it, but there's nothing cheesy about the message the phrase conveys. 

Why stick with a bad situation you know? Why not have some faith in God and yourself and take a chance at something potentially better? 

The essence of spiritual creativity is simple. Our thoughts and actions help God's ongoing work in Creation. When we align our thoughts and actions with God, when we harmonize our creativity with His, we have the potential to become co-creators. But we should approach this as a duty rather than an option.

If we take a chance at something better and work toward it, we provide God with the room and tools needed to help make that something better a reality. We also have the opportunity to add something to creation that God may not be able to add on His own.

If we cannot take a chance at something better, we can repent and use our powers to work toward something better in the bad situation that is the devil we know. Within this context, the act of repentance alone is already a major victory for the side of God and Creation.  

Either way, each is a step toward harmony with God, which is a prerequisite of creativity and co-creation.

Co-creation is a calling from God. When it comes to the realization of His Divine Plan, He needs us just as much as we need Him.  

Note added: What I have outlined above should not be confused with material, worldly lines of thinking like "the power of positive thinking", which Dr. Charlton lucidly addressed in a post today.

Aligning ourselves with God through repentance and creativity is about spiritual learning and working with God toward the co-creation of a better spiritual present and future. Since the spiritual encompasses the material, this may lead to better or improved material outcomes. On the other hand, it may not. Either way, in terms of priorities and motivations, the co-creation of better and improved spiritual outcomes must take precedence over better or improved material outcomes. 
5 Comments
lea
11/16/2021 04:54:42

Immediately reminded me of the 'lesser evil' election choices we've been presented with multiple times all over the world. Not going into the usefulness and such of participating in the system itself, how have we come to accept that as being ok? It also leads into nonsense like tactical voting and ' the enemy of my enemy is my friend' type of thinking. But as you said it's even more sinister when the unfamiliar choice is presented as something that must be evil. So i suppose that would be why everything is about comfort and resisting change, because the other option is not only unknown, but by 'definition' also bad. That's a very strong immobilizing notion.

Reply
Francis Berger
11/17/2021 14:09:31

@ lea - Yes, it comes down to the familiarity of the known over the fear of the unknown. Fear is never good, but I can understand why people are weary or uncomfortable with the unknown.

At the same time, if the known is a terrible situation, the unknown could actually prove to be a less terrible, perhaps even good, set of circumstances rather than something worse than the known.

Reply
lea
11/18/2021 05:55:22

Exactly! But the fear is too overpowering to even consider that option so i suppose choices often blank out to ´what we already have, or the terrifying unknown that MUST be worse´. Which is also a very clear admission of a deep lack of imagination that most people seem to suffer from. They literally cannot picture a better world anymore, at least not without unacceptable strings attached.

Max Overhead link
11/18/2021 01:29:24

Saying no is easy as can be for me. There is a tremendous brain drain from all industries due to the mandates. All free-thinking people are being asked to leave, and all of those who will blindly comply are there to stay. This creates tremendous hiring opportunities for all small businesses. The free market will suck up all useful talent bled from this mal-intentioned blood bath. You are mistaken if you think you have no choice. Your choices are getting better all the time.

Reply
lea
11/20/2021 09:54:32

Im sure my type of renegade midlevel rebellious philosophy wouldnt interest alot of people, but asking for all friends, any pointers to finding these choices. Only with Francis´s blessing of course.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Blog and Comments

    Blog posts tend to be spontaneous, unpolished, first draft entries ranging from the insightful and periodically profound to the poorly-argued and occasionally disparaging.
     

    Comments are moderated. Anonymous comments are never published (please use your name or a pseudonym). 

    Emails welcome:

    f er en c ber g er (at) h otm   ail (dot) co m
    Blogs/Sites I Read
    Bruce Charlton's Notions
    Meeting the Masters
    From The Narrow Desert
    No Longer Reading
    ​
    Brief Outlines
    ​Steeple Tea
    Berdyaev.com
    ​
    Synlogos ✞ Aggregator
    New World Island 
    ​Adam Piggott
    Fourth Gospel Blog
    The Orthosphere
    Junior Ganymede

    Archives

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012

    Picture
    A free PDF is also available in My Work. 
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.