[mr23r0]
The Kind, the Ruthless, and the Ones Who Survive
Just by looking at the title, some of you might think I’ve finally lost it. You wouldn’t be wrong. But if I said I haven’t, that wouldn’t be wrong either. Strange, isn’t it? That’s exactly why you’re here.
Right now, you might be asking, What is this? Why? Soon, you’ll have your answers, or maybe just better questions.
This category of posts are for those who, like me, wrestle with thoughts that refuse to rest, questions about life, the mind, and the strange truths hiding in the dark corners of our own existence.
Judgment and the Illusion of Good and Evil
How do I decide if someone is good or bad? Is it a single moment, a handful of actions, or just the way the story presents them to me?
I’ve seen it happen before, watching a movie, reading a book, I accept the protagonist as the hero. But then, something doesn’t sit right. Their actions, their choices… they don’t feel good. And yet, I still root for them. Why?
Take William Butcher from The Boys. What do I think of him? A necessary evil? Maybe. A hero? Possibly. He stands against something greater than himself, against forces no one else dares to challenge. But is that enough?
Do I see him this way because of his past? Because he cares for Hughie? Is that all it takes to justify everything else? Or is there something deeper, something I don’t even realize shaping my perception?
I need to break this down further. I need to figure out why.
The Justifications We Cling To
Maybe the only way to make sense of this is to go step by step.
- Does he do the right thing? No. Killing, no matter the reason, is still killing.
- Does he stop when he sees the consequences? No again. The satisfaction of getting things done, of winning, can push anyone to keep going, even when they shouldn’t.
And yet… I still see him as something more than just another violent man.
Is it because of his past? The way he protects Hughie? Are these two things enough to excuse everything else?
If I had to choose between Billy or Hughie to stand with me in a fight, I’d choose Billy. And I know most people would too. But why? Do I really know? Or is there something inside me, something I don’t fully understand, that makes the decision for me?
Reshaping Perception, One Truth at a Time
Machiavelli said it best in The Prince, a ruler must be feared rather than loved, but never hated. Fear maintains control, prevents rebellion. To achieve this, a prince must act decisively: eliminate old rulers, live among his new people, uphold existing laws, crush opposition without hesitation, and, above all, avoid uncertainty.
On the surface, these actions seem ruthless, perhaps even outright evil. But perception is not shaped in a single moment. It is molded over time, carefully crafted by how the story unfolds.
Look at Billy Butcher. The first time I see him, his actions are simply bad, even cruel. No context, no justifications. Just a man doing terrible things. But then, piece by piece, the story fills in the gaps. The trauma. The past. The reasons.
Suddenly, he isn’t just a violent man anymore. He is necessary. The mind, ever so eager to make sense of things, adjusts. He was once the villain, but now… now he is something else.
Perhaps Machiavelli was right. People don’t see actions for what they are; they see them through the lens of how the story is told.
Why Being Misunderstood is a Strength
If given a choice, most would rather be seen as good than bad. It seems like the obvious choice. After all, a good man is trusted, welcomed, embraced. But over time, experience teaches a different lesson, one that is not easy to accept.
A man who is seen as good from the start is bound by expectation. His kindness becomes his cage, his virtue a leash held by those who would use it against him. The world does not reward goodness, it exploits it. And when the good man finally refuses to kneel, he is not seen as strong. He is seen as treacherous.
But those who are first seen as bad, harsh, indifferent, ruthless, they are free. Free to act, to decide, to shape their own path without bending to the will of others. And when they choose to show kindness? It is not expected. It is remembered.
History favors those who command fear before love. The feared man may become loved, but the loved man, if he stumbles, will be hated. That is the way of things. That is why it is often wiser to let others misunderstand at first. Not because one must be cruel, not because fear is the goal, but because control is lost the moment one becomes a servant to perception.
Let them believe what they will. In time, the truth reveals itself. And if it doesn’t? Then perhaps the illusion was necessary all along.
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