In The Great influenza, author John Barry describes how viruses work. They attach themselves to certain receptors in the body. The virus replicates itself. It disguises itself. It destroys from within mercilessly. As much as we try to develop medications to cure them, the best advice is to let it run its course. The even better advice is, “the best offense is a great defense.”

Moral wars are like viruses.

When we battle each other on the field of morality, we battle for something intangible. That intangible is greater than us, it cannot be quantified, it’s deep, it’s often linked to power.

Moral wars never end well.

If Person A plays the moral war and Person B plays the conventional war, Person A is likely to win - likely through a scorched earth strategy.

Better to avoid the moral wars.

Nobody truly wins, and nobody truly knows what they are fighting for - they just know they have to fight.
That’s the most dangerous kind of opponent.