Activism and protest are powerful tools when rightly directed, but too often they end up exhausting the very people who champion them. Protesters chant, argue, and denounce with passion, but like warriors wielding a dull sword, they often strike at non-essential things that only dent their weapon. In doing so, they miss the true mark, waste their strength, and create disunity among themselves. As a result, their energy dissipates, their movements fracture, and their causes wither without lasting change.
The problem is not the absence of zeal or courage. Many activists, past and present, have fought with tenacity, some even at great personal cost. Their sincerity cannot be doubted. Yet, the lack of clarity about the real enemy makes their struggle ineffective from the start. Like a soldier swinging a blunt sword, their blows fall on non-essentials- tangential policies, personalities, or superficial reforms, while the deeper roots of the crisis remain untouched. Inevitably, strength is wasted, divisions arise, and discouragement follows.
But who or what is this real enemy? It is not merely corrupt politicians, unjust systems, or even oppressive structures. These are symptoms, not the source. The deeper foe is the unchecked rule of the human intellect, cut off from higher spiritual guidance. This domination of cold, calculating intellect over conscience and spirit is humanity’s true fall. It is the “hereditary sin” that tilts every institution, every ambition, and every movement toward self-interest, exploitation, and eventual decay. Scripture hints at this reality when it speaks of the Antichrist, not as a single man, but as the spirit of godlessness and arrogance embodied in the intellect’s claim to supremacy.
This perspective does not mean activism is futile. On the contrary, it means activism must be sharpened by truth. A movement that merely shouts at symptoms but ignores the underlying spiritual distortion will remain sterile. But when reformers recognise the true battle, the restoration of conscience, humility, and alignment with Divine Laws, their efforts gain focus and enduring power. Words, then, cease to be empty noise or corrosive complaint; they become instruments of light that cut to the heart of the matter and inspire lasting transformation.
The challenge for today’s activists and protesters is therefore to pause and reflect: What are we truly fighting? If we do not identify the real enemy, we risk fuelling the very forces we oppose. But if we learn to strike at the root, guided by truth and clarity, then every word, every action, and every sacrifice becomes part of a cause that cannot fail.
The true enemy is not the system outside, but the unchecked intellect within.