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Practice of Non-Violence
59
his choice of methods, of his knowledge of human nature and hence of his opponent. He can rely on the victim to react in a definite way. The attacker's morale is sustained, his sense of values is vindicated.
But suppose the assailant, using physical violence, attacks a different sort of person. The attitude of this new opponent is fearless, calm, and steady, because of a different belief, training, or experience. He does not respond to the attacker's violence with counter-violence. Instead, he accepts the blows goodtemperedly, stating his belief as to the truth of the matter under dispute, asking for an examination of both sides of the dispute, and stating his readiness to abide by the truth. He offers resistance, but only in moral terms. He states his readiness to prove his sincerity by his own suffering rather than by inflicting harm on the assailant.
At such an unusual and unexpected reaction, the assailant will be surprised. If at first he was inclined to be scornful or contemptuous of the victim as a coward, those feelings rapidly become displaced by curiosity and wonder.... He suddenly and unexpectedly loses the moral support which the usual violent resistance of most victims would render him. He plunges forward, as it were, into a new world of values. He feels insecure because of the novelty of the situation and his ignorance of how to handle it. He loses his poise and selfconfidence.
If there are onlookers, the assailant soon loses still more poise. Instinctively, he dramatizes himself before them and becomes more aware of his position. With the audience as a sort of mirror, he realizes the contrast between his own conduct and that of the victim. In relation to the onlookers, the attacker with his violence, perhaps, begins to feel a little excessive and undignified, even a little ineffective, and by contrast with the victim less generous and in fact brutal. He realizes that the onlookers see that he has misjudged the nature of his adversary, and realizes that he has lost prestige. Of course, he does not want to acknowledge it, but his feelings betray themselves in hesitance of manner, speech or glance. The onlookers perceive it, and he himself senses a further loss of public support.
The non-violent resister has demonstrated his sincerity and
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