classpectlab:

Originally written by @theknightisin​ for ClasspectLab’s Task 1.0, 2016.

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Light isn’t as simple as just visual light. It is many things yet few things. Not only that, but there’s so much wanting involved. But wanting what? Better yet, why do you want?

Light is the flood of warmth and accomplishment you get when you answer something correctly and in detail. The feeling when someone says “wow that’s really cool!” and they mean it after you tell them a fact you found interesting. It’s gathering information and putting it towards something that helps others. It’s unearthing and discovering new and fascinating things. You want people to listen to you and your ideas and your thoughts. It’s having the knowledge of hundreds of years at your fingertips.

Light is learning things about yourself and the world around you, and always wanting more. But why are you always wanting more knowledge?

It’s quite simple, and Sir Francis Bacon put it best.

“Knowledge is power.” If one has enough knowledge, they will be the strongest opponent on the battlefield.

And doesn’t everyone want that?

Light is stubbornness. It’s thinking you have all of the facts during an argument, even though you don’t. Thinking that you know what’s best, even though you really don’t. It’s arguing with others over what’s right and what’s wrong. You only see your perspective, and you’ll refuse to see others. It’s getting fed up and saying “I’m right, you’re wrong, and that is not up for debate.” It’s continuing to argue, even when you come to realize that you’re not even correct; fighting when you know you’re going about it wrong, because you just want to be correct, and like hell you’re going to back down. But this brings us back to why. Why does everyone always want to be correct? Well, why wouldn’t they? Being correct means you know better than others, and it makes you feel powerful. Think about it. The last time you won an argument, didn’t you feel like you could win any argument?

It’s wanting to see the world in two settings. Right or wrong. Black or white. Light or dark. It’s getting so god damn frustrated when you remember that it’s not. There’s reasoning behind everything, and it’s your goal to know it. It doesn’t matter if that means staying up until 3 o'clock in the morning on a school night, researching something so you know it properly, you have to know. You just have to, no matter what. The world is just so much more simple this way. It isn’t confusing as it really is, not as scary. If you make anything smaller than it really is, it just seems less terrifying, doesn’t it?

It’s wanting what’s best for everyone, no matter the cost. Sure we blew up a building, but we’re all alive aren’t we? Besides, no one was using that building anyways! This is the best way, it was either that or one of us died.

You have to be the one that finds the best outcome. Someone has to. Seems like you’re up to the task, anyhow.

It’s wanting to be the the leader, because there’s a fear that if you aren’t, things will go to shit. You put yourself up front, giving yourself a role of importance. Anyone else will do it wrong, but you, you know how to do this. You can. You just want everyone to be okay in the long run. It’s really the only reason you’re deciding to lead. So you will rise up to the challenge.

Either that, or fall trying.

All of this seems great and all, but a question still remains. Why do you want so much?

And really, it is quite a simple answer. A simple question with a simple answer.

Everyone wants to feel powerful. Feel in control. If you feel in control, things will go your way.

You want knowledge, because it is power. You want to be right, so that no others can rival you. You want for there to be to be a clear cut right and wrong, so that you don’t have to think as hard in your decisions, and that an answer will appear simply before you. You want what’s best for everyone, and let’s face it, doesn’t everyone? Doesn’t everyone think that what they are doing is for the good of everyone?

You want to be the leader for the same reasons. You want to be in control. You want what’s best for others.

That’s all anyone really wants, isn’t it?

We all just want the best, most fortunate outcome of them all.

Just what’s best for everyone.