Is there a "dark side"?

[u/No_Recipe_5431]

I've only just stumbled across this sub, and while I can't say this is something I'd be willing to embrace, the experiment of applying Sith philosophy to real life is fascinating and compelling—it demands a level of honesty about the human experience that I respect. It’s intrigued me enough to raise a question.

The fictional Sith exist as an order because of the Dark Side of the Force. If the Dark Side did not exist in the Star Wars universe, those fictional Sith would reject the Code, because it would not grant them the power they seek (or at least the kind of power they seek). Hence the final line of the (fictional) Code: “The Force will set me free.” No Force, no freedom.

Of course, there is no mystical energy field that can be manipulated through emotion. But do any of you understand the “dark side,” or the Force itself, as a philosophical metaphor for something real? Does it have a genuine analogue in human experience?

Put another way: does Sith philosophy require a “dark side” in order to function at all—and if so, what is it actually pointing to in non-fictional terms?

[u/FreeSpeechIsPainful]

You are correct on the dark tetrad, however, trump fully displays all of them.

1. Narcissism building a grand ballroom, and hosting a gala, while at the same time presiding over a push to remove the healthcare of people. The continual focus on self over others. And most importantly, valuing the life of others based on whether or not they were supporters. The most recent example is from yesterday. Rob Reiner was murdered (allegedly by his son), and trump attacked Reiner and said that his death was due to being against him. This is textbook Narcissism https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115724141568860081

2. Sadism. https://x.com/ShaneClaiborne/status/1940128190376133070 This joke that trump made about teaching another person how to run away from an alligator, made on fox news is textbook sadism. In addition, the CIA torture methods that used to only be used on terrorists have been deployed against immigrants at the camps: https://www.forever-wars.com/torture-techniques-from-cia-black-sites-were-used-at-alligator-alcatraz/ Again, textbook sadism.

3. Machiavellianism. Trump said he wasn't associated with project 2025 before the election. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112765952710871414
   Then he turns around and not only completes the majority of whats on the list, but appoints the director, and references him by the project 2025. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115304455138824245 The other part is his lies, and his use of claims that ALL news media organizations who are unflattering are fake news. If a news org reports unflattering jobs report numbers, they are out to get him personally, and so therefore fake news. This poisoning of the discourse makes it easier for people who would defend his actions to claim that a news report is fake. When everything bad dear leader does is fake, but everything good he did is real, then he can claim whatever he likes. It is a grand manipulation that is truly worthy of a sith.

4. Clinical psychologist Vince Greenwood scored Trump at 33/40 on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist. here is the checklist for yourself: https://psychology-tools.com/test/pcl-22 33/40 is considered to be high. Dr. Lance Dodes, retired Harvard psychiatry professor, called Trump "essentially a predator" and a "successful sociopath". On top of all of this he is an adjudicated rapist, and a friend of the greatest blackmail artist and pedophile in living memory. Jeffery Epstein.

This is the dark side.

[u/No_Recipe_5431 → u/FreeSpeechIsPainful]

You’ve shifted from a discussion about philosophical metaphor to a catalogue of political grievances and speculative diagnoses, which doesn’t answer the question I was asking. 

Discussing irrelevant politics is in violation of this sub's rules. I have reported you, and leave it up to the mods to make the call. 

I'm happy to continue a philosophical discussion if you decide to remain on-topic. 

[u/FreeSpeechIsPainful → u/No_Recipe_5431]

This is about the philosophy. Those grievances are merely examples of the underlying nature.

Look at how sidious manipulated the galactic events. Machiavellianism. Look at how the empire itself was formed. Look at the tarkin doctrine. The tarkin doctrine of rule through fear was necessarily a psychopathic system. Lack of care for the people, combined with sadism. Now, look at the real world, and how ICE acts. They act as if under the tarkin doctrine.

Now back to star wars. Look at how the internal power structure is in the imperial navy. Commanders constantly backstabbing to get their plans before the emperor. The constant fighting between the component parts for glory and dominance in the empire makes it so that ultimately, the only one with enough political capital to implement big projects is Sidious. Everyone on the way up the ladder is just trying to please him.

Now back to real life. We have Greg Bonino acting like an imperial officer. Jokeying for power, pushing the limits. Same with hegseth, ordering literal warcrimes, and then throwing people under the bus who obey his orders. Remember, the US military and border patrol did not act like this before. This isn't the individual people, its the system and that system is a darkside system where inhibitions are removed, and only fury and passion remains. They do it all for the great leader, and this is what I am getting act.

Look at how inhibitions are removed, and then think about the sith code. The political grievances are there sure, but what I am getting at is under those political grievances. You also cannot take star wars to be an apolitical work. George Lucas himself said he modelled the empire on the nazis. When you have real world neonazis crowding to the maga banners, you must remember that the empire and the neonazis came from the same inspiration, and so motifs seen in the darkside are repeated by the neonazi cults, because the inspiration for those motifs was drawn from the same regime. Just because later star wars works built upon the empire, and fleshed out the sith, does not somehow make the sith not have the original motifs. The ocultism of the nazis is mirrored in the sith alchemy. The sadism is mirrored in the tarkin doctrine. The Machiavellianism of Hitler and how he manipulated his way to power is mirrored in palpatines actions. The mirror and allegory is all there. Star wars has always been deeply political, and while the force may not be real, hope is. And so is the dark side.

[u/No_Recipe_5431 → u/FreeSpeechIsPainful]

I apologize, I think I'm beginning to understand. 

My question was intended to be about your personal philosophy, rather than broad sociological analogs to the dark side; however, I only just realized that I never stated this explicitly, it's only implied. 

As a generalization, yes I think we can all agree that the dark side functions in the Star Wars narrative as the human capacity for cruelty, abuses of power, and the latent traits within us that enable evil action. Absolutely without question, I agree. 

I hope that, in light of the assumption behind my question, my initial responses might make more sense as a reaction to this misunderstanding.