Friday, August 24, 2007

The Interrogation of The Good

This post is offered as a caveat to those who take moralizing about ethics seriously. I would also like to dedicate this blog entry to a mentor of mine, who has led by example. She has shown me that it is important to fight for the underdog [whatever the cost], even when the fight is but a losing battle. The object of fighting the ethical fight is to go down swinging with head held high. The Poem is titled "The Interrogation of The Good", by Bertolt Brecht. I think the poem while written in dark humor shows the need for an unconditional ethical engagement with the world.

Step forward: we hear
That you are a good [wo]man.

You cannot be bought, but the lightening
Which strikes the house, also
Cannot be bought.
You hold to what you said.
But what did you say?
You are honest, you say your opinion.
Which opinion?
You are brave.
Against whom?
You are wise.
For whom?
You do not consider your personal advantages.
Whose advantages do you consider then?
You are a good friend.
Are you also a good friend of the good people?

Hear us then: we know
You are our enemy. This is why we shall
Now put you in front of a wall. But in consideration
of your merits and good qualities
We shall put you in front of a good wall and shoot you
With a good bullet from a good gun and bury you
With a good shovel in the good earth.*

* Bertold Brecht, "Verhor des Guten", translated by Slavoj Zizek in Werke: Band 18, Prosa 3, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag 1995, p. 502-503

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