Till Death

"I dislike death but there are things I dislike more than death. Therefore there are times when I will not avoid danger." – Mencius



There are times in every warrior's life where the interpretation of the code they live by leads them into confrontation. Long ago, the dangers of social interaction where much less defined and common than they are in the push button world of today where everyone is only a click away from the rest of the world. As social interaction increases it is easy to see it's many positives but not so easy to see it's many dangers.

The act of judgment is more important now than ever despite the notion that in judging others we are somehow wrong. Granted, no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, but once is a coincidence. Twice is a pattern.

We are often attracted to like-minded people or those who are in our social class. We get certain feelings from the people we interact with and despite what we say about the idea of judgment, we have already done the one thing we tell others they shouldn't do. Judgment of those around us is part of nature and despite your beliefs you can't fight nature.

We sometimes judge simply to protect ourselves. The people we associate with can do us just as much harm as good and being guilty by association is still guilt. Guilt is something that no one I have ever encountered handles very well. Their first instinct seems to be to excuse it or to minimize it rather than simply admit to it. Guilt is one of the many checks and balances of life and it is a common bond we all share on one level or another. But it is an emotion that hurts and because it hurts we act on another primitive instinct, self-preservation.

It is often self-preservation that leads some to use the same line over and over again when it comes to being the defendant. "Don't judge me." They are quick to judge others but when someone comes along and judges them all of a sudden it's wrong or the outside party has no right to do it. And if that doesn't work they will say, "You don't know a damned thing about me." But often enough we don't have to know anything about them because we don't judge their principles; we judge their actions. And as the saying goes: "actions speak louder than words".

So what does one do when someone comes along in judgment of our past actions? Do we attempt to explain it? Justify it? Do we run and hide from it? Do we use the all too common lines of "Don't judge me" or "You have no right"? If they have no right what gives us such a right?

And what if none of our tactics or excuses work and they other party still seeks a fight are they right in their actions? What if they are judging us the same way that we have judged others? Does that make them wrong or somehow evil?

Sometimes judges are not seeking to destroy our character so much as they are seeking justice as dictated by their code of honor. That does not make them evil. It makes them just like us.

It's a moral dilemma that could play out in various ways depending on the circumstances. But for an honor-bound warrior there is a less complex answer: You accept the fight and do your best, knowing that the other will do the same and let fate decide who is right and who is wrong. Keep your honor in mind and when it comes to the final blow realize that they have not done anything we wouldn't do in their stead. In battle, the Gods are the only true judge in who is right and who is wrong. The matter is settled by fate rather than point of view and in this you both might find that you are either wrong, or right, depending on how worthy fate has deemed you.

This does not mean that you have to accept every single challenge that comes along. Sometimes people do challenge us out of sheer stupidity rather than honor. If fair warning of what they are really getting themselves into isn't enough to teach them their limitations, a more direct approach might be inevitable.

I think that there are some things worth living for and dieing for and even killing for if you have to, but not all the time. Sometimes the only honorable thing to do is walk away, especially if the other party is acting out of an idea or notion that is less than honorable.

However, we are all responsible for our actions. Sometimes it takes action to correct action, rather than words or excuses. Because of that, there are times when honor will place us in harms way. Just as there are times when judgment of ourselves will lead us into combat with others…but we will return all the better and without guilt or shame with our honor intact…with our shield or on it.


Angel Snowden - 2006