Saturday, April 28, 2007

Lesser Evil

Let me just share to you a few things about something I read from Sigma Protocol by Robert Ludlum.

Sigma is a story based on the real-life "Bilderberg Group".

Sigma is an elite group formed by various prominent people shortly after the Second World War. This corporation would channel vast sums of money into fighting communism... and strengthening the will of the WEST. Sigma, manipulated world events (coups in Asia, stepping down of politicians) and bankrolling political parties.

There was this guy named Mengele a Nazi scientist who led the expirements over Zyklon-B, along with Strasser(fiction) and Lenz(fiction) .But, mind you, Zyklon-B is not fiction, it exists and it was in fact the gas that was used to kill hundreds of Jews in history. { One thing I like about Ludlum is the use of certain history facts and weaving a story based on this}

These Nazi scientist all thought that Zyklon-B is an elegant project and they all thought they were helping mankind....

As to why it was called elegant and to know what their views are... Let's interview Strasser.

{ Note: Conversations are actually found in the book... but some words were altered to achieve this kind of convo. }

Strasser: Before Zyklon-B, Hitler's soldiers had to shoot every prisoner. Terrible bloodbaths. Gas was so clean, simple and elegant. And you know, gassing the Jews actually spared them.

Uh huh... But.. how could it have spared them???

Strasser: There were so many deadly diseases that went around those camps, they would have suffered much longer, much more painfully. Gassing them was the most humanitarian option.

Could it be really? To have them gassed is humanitarian ? o_O

Strasser: We called it the "special treatment".

This could mean your "collateral damage" for extermination then?

Strasser: If you wish. But you know, I didn't hand pick victims for the gas chambers like Dr. Mengele or Dr. Lenz. They call them the Angel of Death.

What about you? Are you not? Or would you say you were just a scientist?

Strasser: What do you know of science? Are you a scientist? Do you have any idea how far ahead of the rest of the world we Nazi scientists were? Do you have any ideas? They criticize Mengele's twin studies, yet his findings are still cited by the world's leading genetics! The Dachau experiments in freezing human beings - those data were still used! What they learned at Ravensbruck about what happens to the female menstrual cycle under stress - when the women learned they were about to be executed - scientifically it was a breakthrough! Or maybe it's not polite to talk about it, but you still use our sciences. You'd rather not think about how the experiments were done, but don't you realise that one of the main reasons we were so advanced was precisely because we were able to experiment on live human beings?

Sometimes, we are all so bent up in blaming them but they did bring about scientific breakthroughs gruesome as it may sound. Because, they have brought about a lot of scientific breakthroughs which have proved to be useful in the next century.

But, still... to bring about harm to other people for what? For what we call science?

Sometimes there are things so hard to grasp. Such as this. I kinda understand the scientists, yes... but the way they conducted their experiments.. is just too much.

Did "the end justify the means"? or Did it not ? Would it be a matter of choosing the lesser evil ?

Honesta turpitudo est pro causa bona? { For a good cause, wrongdoing is virtuous ? }

I think everyone is right given their own model of the world. Hitler thought he was doing good for the German people.... and so he thought he was right. What's really awful was HALF OF THE HUMAN RACE BELIEVED HIM. If I say the world is flat.... and half of the world believed me.. It would'nt be that crazy.

Maybe it really depends on what model your world is.... Because in the end there would be no rights or wrongs. It is just a matter of expressing who you are.

In this world of contradictions..... of ironies.... of relativity.... the question you have to answer, was the one what Shakespeare asked:

To be or not to be.
Even Peter Parker was baffled with who HE is.... but in the end he have to choose... would he be just Peter Parker? or would he be "who" he was meant to be?

He asked: WHO AM I? A lot of times... maybe in the movie we heard it only twice.. once when the movie started..and another when it ended. He answered he was Peter Parker.... but in the end when he asked.. WHO AM I? He answered I'm Spiderman.

We all come around with choices to be WHO WE ARE.... but once you choose who you want to be... the WHO YOU ARE NOT challenges you all the time..

are you LOVE? *then all your life you would face people that would express it's opposite*
are you a HEALER ? *then you would be in a place where sickness thrives*
are you a PROVIDER? *then you go to the needy*
are you the LIGHT ? *then you will be placed in Darkness*

After choosing who you are... there would be SACRIFICES. CHOICES. and of course meeting your DESTINY... whatever it is you choosed to be.
but then always remember.... the greatest battle LIES WITHIN.

I never meant to end this post plugging SPIDERMAN 3 but what I just talked about ended with SPIDERMAN.. because there's really truth behind that movie. Kinda related. Specially with the "to be or not to be". Spiderman faced that question. He was asked to choose countless of times and he was able to stand up with what he believes in and even Spidey tried giving up. S

Sometimes, we feel like giving up. In the quest of doing and manifesting who we are.... we sometimes give up... because we THOUGHT that the CHALLENGES are GREATER than US. But truth is.... WE ARE GREATER THAN THE CHALLENGES.. and I tell you there is no challenge... we can't overcome.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

yey! ako ang unang comentus.. well, tungkol kay mr. peter parker.. kakaamaze naman ang analogy mo.. hihihi.. peo totoo nga un nuh? ung the greatest battle lies from within chuva..

naeexcite tuloy akong panoorin un.
potpot | Homepage | 04.28.07 - 9:33 am

Anonymous said...

hey Tina! how are you? thanks for dropping by my page! TC!
Noreen | Homepage | 04.28.07 - 11:58 am |

Anonymous said...

oo nga eh.. si hitler.. he even tried to erase the jews existance.. pero dba sila yung choosen ones? neve silang maeerase..
yAgi | Homepage | 04.28.07 - 2:00 pm |

Anonymous said...

A concept that might as well be as universal as sex. Stem cell research. The upcoming national elections. Why are we not given a proper option instead of having to settle/choose the lesser of the two evils?
Shari | Homepage | 04.28.07 - 2:57 pm |

Anonymous said...

nice post. it makes you think... mahirap i-defend ang self righteous, because in most cases some right things are wrong to the others.. pwdeng sa paningin ko tama yung ginagawa ko pero sa paningin ng iba mali na pala...

"to be or not to be" thing.. when i am faced to decide on something whether its a major or minor decision, i would always go where my heart and principle lies... para sa akin kasi dapat nasa puso ko kung ano man ang magiging desisyon ko.. para kahit anong mangyari along the way, ndi ko pagsisihan at hindi ako panghihnaan ng loob kasi yun ang pinili ko para sa sarili at kung ano ang alam kong tama.

... hay nasa topic pa ba tong pinag-sasabi ko hehe :P
jhenny | Homepage | 04.28.07 - 4:49 pm |

Anonymous said...

You bring up some very difficult ethical questions to graple with Tina. I think Mengele and the rest of his Nazi scum brethren were disgusting, evil cockaroach pigs. But some would argue that the information is already there, if it could help somebody now then honesta turpitudo est pro causa bona. But then again, we would be riding on the backs of those who were slaughtered by those maggots, and to use that information would dishonour the victims.... I don't know, I hate medical ethics....
Angelo | Homepage | 04.28.07 - 10:25 pm |

tina said...

Kuya Angelo: The book got me thinking... I understand the side of the Nazi scientists... but i dont approve of how they made their experiments... but since they were under the influence of Hitler i guess they just jumped on the bandwagon and they manipulated their advantage. but all has reasons.. and everything is in the past now.... what matters is the now..
tina | Homepage | 04.28.07 - 10:43 pm |

Anonymous said...

Peter Parker....may neighbor kami dito pinangalan sa anak nya ay Peter eh Parker ang surname nila...hehehe. Lagi ko ngang sinasaway si Josh kapag tinatawag nyang spiderman yung bata.
ann | Homepage | 04.28.07 - 11:19 pm |

Anonymous said...

i super duper like the last line. there is no challenge we cannot overcome. true.. we just have to believe. take care!
pam | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 2:40 am |

Anonymous said...

There is no challenge that we can't overcome! Napakatotoo nyan! Tayo lang kasi yung nagiisip na hindi natin kaya! :D
Krisha | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 2:41 am |

Anonymous said...

I don't agree. Those scientists were evil and they should rot in hell. Nothing justifies what they have done. And no, we should not forget the past because it could happen again!
Sidney | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 3:30 am |

Anonymous said...

napadaan ln po at angnda ng nsulat mo..
tzie | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 10:11 am |

Anonymous said...

Very nice post tina. Nakaka-inspirire yung last line. "WE ARE GREATER THAN THE CHALLENGES.. and I tell you there is no challenge... we can't overcome."

Well, excited na kong mapanood yung Spiderman 3! Last part na ba yun?
Tin | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 10:14 am |

Anonymous said...

mahusay na post... :D parang ganyan yung pinapag-aralan naming sa ethics... hmmm... mahirap sabihin minsan kung ano ang tama at mali dahil may mga tinatawag na gray areas daw... ewan ko. pero di pa rin ako sang-ayon sa means nila.

may nabasa akong quote galing rin ata kay shakespeare(?)... parang ganito...

"there is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
ninong | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 12:01 pm |

Anonymous said...

Grabe... that was so inspirational and moving.
haha.

Not to mention very well-said and expounded.

I see reading books have GREATLY WIDENED your wisdom and understanding and all. :]

Kudos! ΓΌ
Mikko | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 2:15 pm |

Anonymous said...

lamo sis i dunno what to say with this entry.. but I must say I learn a thing or two.. no. i guess I was inspired.
Aisha | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 6:53 pm |

Anonymous said...

I didn't read the 2nd to before-the- spiderman-line. I'll be reading this novel, baka may spoilers kang nainclude, hehe

weee, tomorrow is spiderman's premier!!i bet, the mall will be jam-packed.

good day.
cat | Homepage | 04.29.07 - 11:24 pm |

Anonymous said...

hehe! im back! :P thanks for always dropping by. and thanks for the prayers too appreciate it sooo much!

well, were planning to see that movie.hehe! spiderman 3, seems like its a really good movie i hope we could find time to watch it anyway.hehe.

take care tina.tnx again. have a good week! mwahugs
ychel | Homepage | 04.30.07 - 9:18 pm |

Anonymous said...

ut post was really nice. ive learned another thing again from u. just keep on writing and sharing those bits of wisdom.
ychel | Homepage | 04.30.07 - 9:19 pm |

Anonymous said...

tamang tama itong post mo para sa akin, bukod sa ang dami kong challenges sa buhay ngayon n agusto ko ng talikuran ay ipapalabas na ang spderman 3 mamaya. taralets nood tayo!
iskoo | Homepage | 04.30.07 - 10:21 pm |

Anonymous said...

to be or not to be..i love that poem,Tina!

some scientifical experimentations worth it..but in terms of death...and they call it Angel Of Death??dunno if i can easily agree.

nice post,Tina!!
ghee | Homepage | 04.30.07 - 10:33 pm

Anonymous said...

andaming sense ng post mo..
the greatest battle lies within.

thanks anyways for always dropping by my "basura" blog
katia | Homepage | 05.01.07 - 2:49 am |

Anonymous said...

to be or not to be.. totoo yun.. it's our choice kung sino at kung ano magiging tayo.. ^_^
joanna | Homepage | 05.02.07 - 1:50 am |

Anonymous said...

hi tina!

i like the last line.. so true. we are greater than the challenges.. i would always instill that in my mind. thanks for remindin..


fingertalks | Homepage | 05.02.07 - 2:03 am |

Anonymous said...

"and of course meeting your DESTINY... whatever it is you choose to be.
but then always remember.... the greatest battle LIES WITHIN. "

love it! :D
sherma | Homepage | 05.02.07 - 3:41 am |

Anonymous said...

I haven't read any Ludlum books, in fact, I haven't read a book for almost 2 years now. LOL. Thanks for the summary....yawn...geez, it's past midnight...goodnight.
Mari | Homepage | 05.02.07 - 3:51 am |