Duality of Man

The following conversation is dialogue from the movie Full Metal Jacket.

Pogue Colonel: You write "Born to Kill" on your helmet and you wear a peace button. What's that supposed to be, some kind of sick joke?
Private Joker: No, sir.
Colonel: You'd better get your head and your ass wired together.
Joker: Yes, sir.
Colonel: Now answer my question or you'll be standing tall before the man.
Joker: I think I was trying to suggest something about the duality of man, sir.
Colonel: The what?
Joker: The duality of man. The Jungian thing, sir.

The duality of man refers to the two opposing sides of human nature (i.e. good and evil). Everyone is bit of both. "Good people" can do "bad" things and "bad people" are capable of doing "good" things.

Clearly, human nature is very contradictory.

This particularly clear in the practice of government and politics. That's why the Tea Party can protest "big government" regulation while using government subsidies such as welfare, social security, and medicaid. This is why the Occupy Wall Street protestors riot against corporations while eating McDonald's and using their mobile phones (way to stick it to the man, fellas). Maybe you're saying, "You just don't get it." No. I get it. And I'm explaining it to you.

You first, Tea Party. I support what they call "small government," but I understand the necessity of government regulation. Public schools? The postal service? Police officers and fire fighters? All part of government funding.

Now I'm looking at you OWS. I am a capitalist. I am pro-corporations. I think somebody who contributes something to society and works his way to the top deserves recompense. I don't support greed. It's beyond ridiculous that the top 1% control 42% of financial wealth. I think all this calls for is reformation. Not a revolution. Immediate debt forgiveness and guaranteed wages for the unemployed are not the solution. They're just going to make the financial situation worse. And I don't trust any group that includes socialists, anarchists, hippies, and Geraldo Rivera.

In my unbiased opinion, with so much friendly fire, life can get pretty ugly. But that's old news.

See what I did there? I used oxymoron, a figure of speech which combines contradictory terms. How clever of me.

So why the confrontation? Can't we just admit that we're all confused?

(derp!)

I am a man of contradictions. I like my hot dogs burnt and my steak rare.

(Aaron Eckhart knows what I'm talking about)