Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-4224349-20150319205546/@comment-15984194-20150321190135

Wouldyoukindlydance wrote:

That's a good point, though I'd like to counter it by saying that soldiers, generals, and mentors can be stern without being cruel. Even enemies can understand when an enemy is being merciful or cruel. A cruel soldier would prolongate death, ensuring as much suffering as possible. Rose would probably strike sure, preventing suffering. As a leader, she wouldn't sacrifice troops or execute criminals. Those actions make a cruel leader. Adversaries can respect mercy, even if they don't have it. Mentors don't have to be cruel to be stern. An example of a cruel mentor would be one who beats their disciples, mocks them, or makes them do degrading tasks for no constructive purpose. The Crystal Gems remember Rose fondly, so I don't think she did anything that would cause them to think her cruel. executing criminals is not necessarily cruel. cruelty would be to revel in seeking to cause pain and to be harsher than the subject deserves to be treated. To do onto the subject what is sufficient punishment for their actions to make them pay their dues and enable rectification is just. Justice can at times appear harsh and at times may involve pain on the punished, But it does seek to cause pain, the pain is merely the product of the offender's own actions and the offender reaping what they have sown. As you yourself have claimed, the stern does not mean the cruel.