Light-Chasing Monsters: A Type of Consumer of Positive Energy

Many people online treat uplifting ideals as consumer goods: they are consumers of success doctrines and feel-good inspiration. Deep down, they know they have little regard for these uplifting ideals. Like Lord Ye, who professed to love dragons but recoiled at the sight of a real one, they only want the emotional gratification, like mood lighting when they dance. Many self-proclaimed leftists are the same.

One type among them is the light-chasing monster.

1.They inwardly despise uplifting ideals.

What they pursue is admiration for the powerful and personal gain. They believe uplifting ideals come from the powerful, and what they like is the image of powerful people radiating those ideals. In essence, what they yearn for is not the light, but the warmth given off when the “powerful” shine.

What they pay attention to is not uplifting ideals, but the process of radiating light: they think they are learning techniques for public speaking, sales, and dispensing feel-good inspiration.

2.They fear and loathe people at the bottom of society.

When people at the bottom, people who are not doing well in life, talk about uplifting ideals, they react with contempt and anger. This comes from self-loathing, because their understanding of themselves is that they are radiant when strong and deformed when weak.

For example, in Yu Donglai’s case, they see this as a gift bestowed by Yu Donglai as a powerful person. What they identify with is the savior, the benefactor; they dismiss the substance of Yu Donglai’s ideas. Many people understand Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Mao in the same way.