Satyagraha and Soul Force

     I believe that Gandhi was a strong willed man, with noble aspirations.  Unfortunately the form of peaceful resistance that he teaches comes with hefty sacrifices; that most people in westernized society are unwilling to make.  I personally could not make the commitment to giving up my comfort and stability as an American citizen in order to express my beliefs.  In order to advance on the social ladder, it is necessary to adhere to every aspect of the government and live one’s life by the book.  If I were to ignore a law because it was in conflict with my moral standing, I would be reprimanded by fine or even arrest.  This would destroy everything that I have worked so to build up in my career as a student and as a private citizen.  Eventually protesting in this manner leads to a change but it is a massive commitment that takes a much stronger man than I to adopt this lifestyle.

     This is not to say that people should not protest in such away.  I believe that Gandhi is accurate in saying that the most positive result comes from the most peaceful action.  The idea that the ends are always achieved by a specific means can be exemplified in this passage: "If I want to deprive you of your watch, I shall certainly have to fight for it; if I want to buy your watch, I shall have to pay for it; and if I want a gift, I shall have to plead for it; and, according to the means I employ, the watch is stolen property, my own property, or a donation (Gandhi 11)."  It is difficult to dispute the truthfulness of this statement and therefore just as difficult to pick the most desired end and most desired mean.  If you wish to physically fight for what you believe in, you choose to live with the resistance of others and the ensuing consequences.  If you wish to achieve your goal through peaceful transaction, you choose to hurt yourself in some manner.  Being that I am just as the beginning of my adult life, I am unwilling to protest through means that will put me at a disadvantage in the future.  This view may be controversial being that involves little expression of my own opinions, but it is the safest choice I can make before I have achieved any kind of stability.