Marillion: Living in FEAR

Stoicism is a philosophy of peace. You will never find a Stoic telling you how eager he is to destroy his enemies, or how excited he is to exact vengeance.

But surely, if I don't fight my enemies as they fight me, I will lose, and I will die?

I may die, but I will not lose. I must protect what is right, defend the innocent, and demand justice wherever I go. I will indeed fight. But once I play by the rules of the aggressor, I am no longer the victim. I have now just become another agressor.

All of us will die, at one point or another. I care only that I do so with a sense of love, and never of hate.

As I drift into the end of things, Marillion, as always, reminds me of what I need to know.

Marillion, "Living in FEAR", from F.E.A.R . (2016)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPB8O-OJNg

Our wide eyes
Aren't naive
They're a product of a conscious decision
The welcoming smile is the new Cool
The key left in the outside of the unlocked door
Isn't forgetfulness
It's a challenge to change your heart
There's always a price to pay
Living in f e a r is so very dear
Can you really afford it?

We've decided to risk melting our guns as a show of strength
We've decided to risk melting our guns as a show of strength
As a show of strength

Our wide eyes are not so weak
They're a product of a hard-won wisdom
So we will turn the other cheek
The apple pie cooling on the windowsill
Is such a welcome change from
Living in f e a r
Year after year after year
Can we really afford it?
Can you really afford it?

We have decided to start melting our guns as a show of strength
As a show of strength
We decided to leave the doors unlocked, our face unlocked
As a show of strength

We're not green
We're just pleasant
We're not green
We're just pleasant
We're not green
We've decided to start melting our guns as a show of strength

Our wide eyes aren't naive
They're a product of a kind of exhaustion
Will there come a time when we believe
The only way ahead is to put down our arms
When we finally know
The bitter consequence of not doing so
There's such a price to pay
For living this way
Living this way

We don't invite crime
We don't invite crime

Will you let one lost soul change what we stand for?
I don't think so

What a waste of time
The Great Wall of China
What a waste of time
The Maginot line
The Great Wall of China
Chto za trata vremeni
Berlinskaya stena
What a waste of time
Die Berliner Mauer
What a waste of time
What a waste of time

Written in 12/2016