Notice that the title says that “Hard Times Create Stronger Human Beings,” and not “Hard Times Create Good Human Beings”. This is because “guidance” can only help create a wonderful human being, furthermore what a person does with that guidance is up to them. The convictions of a person will help define who they are, and those convictions will be their guide.
The Strong and the Good
There are “strong people” who we would consider “good” but are there not “strong people” who you would consider “bad”? It is not what we go through that characterizes us, but how we respond that defines us. You can respond well to a bad thing or respond bad to a good thing, it is how you think and what is in your heart that counts.
The Smart and the Wise
Do you think a “smart and rational” person to be benevolent? Then confusion has taken over your mind because only a loving and compassionate person is benevolent. Ironically, a benevolent person may not be very intelligent therefore just because someone is wise does not make them “good”.
The Deceitful and Stupid
Stupidity comes with deceitfulness only because a deceptive person thinks deceit is a wonderful tool. Even if the person gets what they want by the use of this tool, they in fact fool themselves into believing that deceit is a “good thing”. Imagine thinking that wrong things benefit you? Is that not where true evil exists? Deceptive people fool themselves more than the ones they try to deceive.
The Irony of Hard Times
“Hard Times” generates both good and bad tendencies in people. The irony of it all is that the hard times strengthen the convictions of those characteristics whether they are good or evil. A challenge is a wonderful medium to see the actual person within.
Survival Trumps Benevolents
Some may argue that “self preservation” is so powerful that virtue gets downgraded to a privilege for the prosperous. We see this in “end of the world” scenarios acted out in several theatrical displays through many forms of media where people are turning on each other to survive. Ironically, the holocaust is a better example for this point and a real-life scenario. There were many victims turning on other victims to preserve their own life. This we are told is a survival tactic for self preservation and supports the evolutionary agenda for survival. “Survival of the fittest and may the best man win!”.
The Caveat To The Evolutionary Model
When we look into situations like the holocaust, we find this NOT to be the case. Although there were many victims turning on other victims for self preservation and survival, most of the people were trying to help their fellow man even if it costed them their life. There are many examples of people giving up their lives to preserve a complete stranger’s life. In the end, we understand that virtue is more powerful than any evolutionary model of the human condition.
Hard Times The Real Truth
The real truth is that hard times are a challenge, furthermore you have the free choice to act in a good way or a bad way. The length of your life is immaterial when it comes to your virtue. Imagine living your life in the past all the time, always desiring to make the right choice when it has been right there in front of you all along. Decide to be a good person right now, do not wait for the circumstances to make you the good person because that is impossible.
The Fundamental Conclusion To Hard Times
You make you! Your circumstances, your money, your situations, and disabilities do not make you who you are. Your love, passion and benevolence or the lack of it make you who you are.
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay