Savage has often been used as a slur. To separate those that are civilized from those that are not. Like much of the English language it is often bastardized and taken to be used for political and other reasons. The dictionary definition is “the quality of being fierce or cruel.” which leaves other things open ended. For example a group of teens beating an 80 year old man could be considered savage because it is cruel, though it’s certainly not fierce.
Likewise a man snapping an intruder’s neck who is threatening his family could also be considered savage as it displays fierceness. Which in my book is a good thing. So we have a word that even with its dictionary definition has different meanings and connotations. It can be used to describe some of the lowest, scummiest acts on this earth as well as some of the greatest and highest. There’s a lot to this word, savage. Something that I want to unpack a bit more here.
Not so much the etymology of the word (history of it) but rather what it means to men and the world as a whole. So going forward with this essay, when I speak of savagery in a positive context I’m describing the fierceness, the strength and the willingness to use it for the right cause. When describing cruelness I’ll use another word. Lowness and such. But for this essay savagery shall be seen for what I think it truly is and what it means for us all.
God Loves A Savage
Follow any religion, open up any religious textbooks that are over 1,000 years old. Tell me what you find. What stories you hear and see. What the gods and men who the gods love or hate are like. Whether it’s the Bible or the Poetic Eddas we see much of the same story. God celebrates and loves savagery. He loves those who bash in the skulls of those that oppose them and theirs. He loves those that fight to the bloody and brutal end. He loves those that are willing to swing the sword.
To do what has to be done when it has to be done and who don’t shy away from it. Who don’t shy away from the brutal nature of this world. For example Yahweh commanded entire cities to be slaughtered man, women, and children and those that did it were to receive untold blessings. Odin plucked out his own eye for wisdom. Tyr has his arm ripped off by a giant wolf essentially to save the world and prove his bravery.
Do these men sound like cowards?
Or are they savages? Savages in the absolute best way that one can be? Do you think the mealy mouthed monks, the socially conscious Evangelical preacher man, the fat neck beard “viking” ranting about “Jew on a stick” are men of God? That they have anything to do with such a being? Of course not. God laughs at them and how pathetic they are. Men of God are men of action, men of battle. Men of blood, steel, and lust for life. God loves a savage.
What Is Refined Savagery?
As we can see, savagery is not just wanted and honored but needed. Maybe not by the powers of this world but by those that truly matter and are timeless. Savagery routes out the evils that like to grow and prosper in the grey areas, like bacteria. Savagery calls a spade a spade and makes no bones about it. Savagery speaks truly and often wisely. But what is refined savagery and how does it differ from savagery on its own? And why would one want to be a refined savage?
Let me first speak of why savagery alone is not enough. It is not enough in this world to be strong. Strength is certainly a virtue (talking physically, mentally, and spiritually) but alone it can be taken advantage of. It can be misled and put to wrong purposes. Alone it can tricked and fooled. It must be married with other things like wisdom, which brings in the refining part. Just like refinement on its own does little. What is knowing the right thing to do if one doesn’t have the strength to do it? Not a new concept and one I’ve talked about a lot.
You can’t just be refined and you can’t just be savage, not if you want to make it. You have to have both things. Just like you need to inhale and exhale, wake and sleep, experience night and day, and live and die, and everything else. One thing is not enough. Again something that I’ve covered quite a bit but still get quite a few questions on. I figured putting this concept across in different ways is the best way to get it to spread and to be understood.
Refined Savagery Is The Answer
You’re probably wondering “The answer to what?” and I’d say everything, or just about everything. Refined savagery is the narrow path that few ever walk on that wise men have talked about. In a way it’s the path to life fulfillment to do what you were designed to do in this world. It’s the path to bring back crumbling societies and to route out all that is rotted and diseased. Not just physically but also mentally and spiritually. But that’s beyond our discussions here and perhaps the limits of this site.
The point is, savagery is a good thing or at least can be when defined properly. Not only can it be a good thing, it can be a great thing, one of the very best things that there is.
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-Charles Sledge
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