Causes and Compromises

Dave meets Mikhail in a troubled situation sitting in one corner pondering.

Dave asks: What is it, Mikhail that is troubling you so?

Mikhail says: Dave, I have fallen into trouble with certain school authorities but I am clear in my conscience and I am convinced I am right just like others do.

Dave asks: So whats the problem then? What are the administrators going to do?

Mikhail replies: they may do something, they may accept their folly and not do anything at all. But everything is a risk. For my mother, everything is a danger and not so much a risk.

Dave replies: Mikhail if you believe in something, you go for it. Don’t be afraid of anything. Pursue your ideologies and causes. We live for them. You are your principle.

And Dave stands up and says:

I have not right to fight for causes that undermine the ability of my mother (who sponsors my education) who pays me to have causes in the first place. I cannot fight for causes on another’s account. There is conflict of interest. She is paying for my college and trusts me to honor all the promises of being a diligent student. When I fight for a cause and jeopardize this promise, I fight for a cause that is not supported by people I am responsible towards.

I can convince her to see light on why these causes are as important to me as important it is to her to see me as a good student. Thus, If I don’t have these causes, it would not mean a thing for me to even be a student no matter how successful I am, that I would be esteemed in my parent’s and world eyes (to be a successful student) but not in my own. If I am not esteemed in my own eyes, I could question my very existence and reason to go on in life.

If they are still not convinced either I do it on my own account if my causes are so worthy of fighting or I remember to be responsible and show prudence and make peace (interior and prudent peace calls to ‘cease’ and not necessarily cease to have causes) with antagonism and not necessarily with my causes.