This phrase has been ringing my head for the longest while… The oxymoron is rather unique. With some, it makes them think of a utopia that is chaotic to the masses, but a perfect system to the intellectuals. Some said it rang close to a quiet overthrow of a system in favor of an anarchistic system. “Silent but deadly”, a maelstrom of chaos that brews from the inside and establishes a chaotic order. Another unique view I got was “It seems like an ideal island of solitude”. These all almost sync up to my main thought… The phrase empathizes the greatest struggle of humanity: The struggle between what is ideal for the self and the ideals of the society.
As humans, we do what is best to ensure our comfort and survival. Face it, we really hate suffering. I know I personally just got out of a 4 year crawl in Hell and it’s great to finally be comfortable with a pleasant survival. I mean, save for masochists, who likes waking up in the morning to go “Hell yes! I can’t wait for some crazed maniac to take a claymore and impale me! Oh yeah!!!“? I know I don’t like the mental image of that idea. Take a look at some of what inspires and motivates humans… Sex, love, money, material delusions (alcohol et al). In my observation, this breaks down to a two sided system for what we want: pleasure and reward.
Society however doesn’t take lightly to these lofty principles… Society attempts to run on a paradigm of productivity and innovation. If a person isn’t adding something useful to a society, they are seen more as a “problem” or a “nuisance” to be removed or assimilated. This is a very black and white system, but even society cannot hinder the fact some gray areas can exist… Every now and then, we have those who lash out against the system. The results vary… some can succeed, some may end up failing at their aims to subvert the system.
Where do we find that fine line? We can do battle and be much like the revolutionary predecessors in hopes that society will bend to our will or the lingering question remains: “Do I have to be society’s bitch?” This is one battle that everyone struggles with internally. The scale could be minor to something small like choosing not to do a vital report for your office or something major like create an uprising against one’s own government. In some ways, fighting for one’s own belief system can be seen as “selfish” or “reckless” though it just ultimately comes down on how much we value something. The way I see it is more “Are you willing to put for the silent protest in your heart out to the world for a chance at sharing your own personal paradise, even if society cannot fathom the beauty of your own chaos?”
Sometimes, we can’t sway society… At the same time, we can’t also put forth our dreams into action because it would jeopardize the lives and/or minds of others. I can say that everyone has this struggle in their heart at some point and time; unfortunately, we may be left in our own toilings. We may just be left in our own silent riot, chaotic paradise within our minds.
