In Defence of the Dark Side of the Force

In the Star Wars series, there are two sides of the mystical Force; the Light Side (the ‘good’ side), and the Dark Side (the ‘evil’ side), used by the Jedi and the Sith respectively. In this article, I am going to do the unthinkable and defend the philosophy of the Dark Side of the Force. This philosophy consists of three main components: egoism, attachment, and drawing strength from the passions.

1. Egoism

ANAKIN: The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inward, only about themselves. 
PALPATINE: And the Jedi don't? 
ANAKIN: The Jedi are selfless . . . they only care about others.[1] 

Wielders of the Dark Side (The Sith) are supposed to be egoists, while wielders of the Light Side (The Jedi) are supposed to be altruists. But there is nothing wrong with being an egoist. Egoists understand that self-enjoyment is the purpose of life and hence are better able to achieve this purpose than altruists, who always think they have to sacrifice themselves for something or other.

Of course, as I’ve stressed elsewhere, being an egoist doesn’t mean that you necessarily disregard the well-being of others. For most people, the well-being of certain others is a crucial part (through sympathy and reciprocity) of their own well-being, and hence as egoists they will still care about the well-being of these others.

2. Attachment

This brings us to the second characteristic of the Dark Side. When wielders of the Force are attached to something or someone, they will fear losing that thing or that person, and this fear will lead them to the Dark Side. Yoda, in Star Wars Episode 1, explains to young Anakin (the future Darth Vader):

KI-ADI : Your thoughts dwell on your mother.

ANAKIN : I miss her.

YODA : Afraid to lose her..I think.

ANAKIN : (a little angry) What's that got to do with anything?

YODA : Eveything. Fear is the path to the dark side... fear leads to

anger... anger leads to hate.. hate leads to suffering.

ANAKIN : (angrily) I am not afraid![2]

Ultimately, Anakin’s attachment to his wife, Padme, is what leads him to the Dark Side. He experiences visions of her dying in child birth and desperately wants to save her. Palpatine, the Sith Lord, tells him how a powerful Sith Lord had figured out how to use the Dark Side in order to cheat death, and how together, using the Dark Side, they could rediscover that power:

ANAKIN: Just help me save Padme's life. I can't live without her. I won't let her die. I want the power to stop death. 
PALPATINE: To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together, I know we can discover the secret. 
ANAKIN kneels before PALPATINE. 
ANAKIN: I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the Sith.[3]

So Anakin turns to the Dark Side because he thinks that by doing so, he can save his wife from death. He turns out to be mistaken in this, but is his motive really so wrong? Anakin wants to achieve the power that is necessary to save the life of the woman that he, egoistically, cares deeply about. Wouldn’t we all want such power? Would it really be more commendable if, in that situation, we refused to try to attain that power and let our loved one die without lifting a finger? I don’t think so.

3. Strength from Emotions  

PALPATINE: Are you going to kill me? 
ANAKIN: I would certainly like to. 
PALPATINE: I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger. [4]

The Sith get their power from emotions and passions, especially anger and hatred. By contrast, Jedi are taught not to fight with anger or hatred, as doing so is the path to the Dark Side. This theme is illustrated in Star Wars Episode 6 when Luke is fighting Darth Vader in the Emperor’s throne room. Luke is able to fight better and more ferociously against Vader when he is channeling his hatred, and the Emperor loves it because fighting with hatred is the path to the Dark Side.

One must ask though: what is wrong with using anger and hatred to make you fight better? Really experiencing these normal human feelings can actually feel quite exhilarating. When carefully targeted and focused, these feelings are not destructive, and can in fact be quite useful as boosters of strength in a necessary or productive fight, physical or otherwise.

Jedi Hypocricy

ANAKIN: If you're not with me, you're my enemy. 
OBI-WAN: Only a Sith Lord deals in absolutes. I will do what I must.[5]

What absolute? Anakin is just stating a fact: if you’re getting in the way of him achieving his desires, then you are his enemy. What else would you be?

The Jedi are the ones who call the people that they don’t agree with ‘evil’ and the power that they wield ‘dark’, while they pride themselves on being ‘good’ and only wielding ‘light’ power. If this is not dealing in absolutes, I don’t know what is.

Conclusion

The Jedi of Star Wars are similar to the self-righteous, Christian-inspired moralists of the real world. Both preach and crusade against egoism, worldly attachments, and the passions. But I say that these things are the very gist of life itself and are nothing to be ashamed of. So long live the Dark Side!

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[1] http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Wars-Revenge-of-the-Sith.html

[2] http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Wars-The-Phantom-Menace.html

[3] http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Wars-Revenge-of-the-Sith.html

[4] http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Wars-Revenge-of-the-Sith.html

[5] http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Wars-Revenge-of-the-Sith.html