Thread by @JakeVeigel

At the request of @drbabelovelife my opinion on "how to tell if you're reflecting a projected shadow from a falsehood vs your own true shadow?" This stems from a tweet I did two days ago, which is about 8-10 weeks ago in Twitter time. ;)

Before I share my opinion I would like to give an example from a fine piece of literature. Althoug fictional, it is nevertheless poignant. Anyone who has read Huck Finn will recognize the scene "You can't pray a lie" as arguably the moral climax of the book. Ch. 31

To briefly summarize, Huck's traveling companion, Jim, a runaway slave, was just captured. Huck has to make the decision to rescue him or let his previous owner know of his whereabouts. According to society and his upbringing it is wrong to rescue him, but he feels compelled.

He also feels guilty at his desire to rescue and even prays, unsuccessfully, to change his own mind. He then writes a letter to the previous owner about Jim and feels better for a short time only to ponder about Jim's kindness and humanity.

"All right, then, I'll go to hell" And he tears up the letter. He resolves to "take up wickedness again, which was in my line, being brung up to it, and the other warn't. And for a starter, I would go to work and steal Jim out of slavery again;

and if I coud think up anything worse, I would do that, too; because as long as I was in, and in for good, I might as well go whole hog."

I couldn't think of better example of sacrificing a projected shadow and taking up a true shadow.

So how can you tell? It is by their fruits you shall know them.

One leaves you incomplete and feeling unsatisfied, irresolute, and indifferent. It puts you in a weak stupor.

The other completes you and enlightens you. It make you an integrated character and you will be thoroughly with yourself. It also gives you a toughness to tackle dangerous things, because you are dangerous too.

Thanks for reading.