The Dark Side

Meanings of the Phrase, “The Dark Side”

The phrase “the dark side” means the unkind and evil aspect of human society or nature.  It also refers to the pessimistic or negative attitude or nature of someone or something.

Origin of “The Dark Side”

The phrase “the dark side” is perhaps originated from a film, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. George Lucas, the director. He used this phrase as a concept to show the evil aspect of the underlying controlling power of the universe. However, a radical theologian, Jacob Bauthumley or Bottomley, has also cited this phrase in 1650, in his work, The Light and Dark Sides of God, where it is stated as; “Some live in the light side of God, and some in the dark side.”

Examples in Literature

Example #1

From Darkside by Alan Walker

“Let’s leave the world behind
Take me through the night
Fall into the dark side
We don’t need the light
We’ll live on the dark side
I see it, let’s feel it
While we’re still young and fearless
Let go of the light
Fall into the dark side
Fall into the dark side
Give into the dark side
Let go of the light
Fall into the dark side.”

These two stanzas show that the speaker wants to embrace the dark side. He says that he does not intend to find the light or positivity in life. Instead, he wants to leave the worldly affairs behind just to enjoy the dark side of his beloved. He does not want to discover the truths of the world. He simply wants to enjoy the present yet dark moments of his life. The phrase has been used in its literal meanings without showing any other meaning.

Example #2

The Dark Side of the Sun by Mindy Caldwell

“My today is for you.
My tomorrows are for me.
I must seek a new love now,
you knew we’d never be.

As I close my eyes to sleep,
I know you’re still the one.
You’ll only find me now
on the dark side of the sun.”

The first stanza speaks about the speaker’s intense feelings for his beloved. He feels her beloved’s presence every moment in his life. The choice of words suggests that his beloved is no more with him. The second stanza discusses the unavoidable presence of his beloved. However, the occurrence of the phrase in the last line signifies that the speaker has lost the enchanting sight forever; he will only meet her in his dreams.

Example #3

Rule of Two by Drew Karpyshyn

“Evil is a word used by the ignorant and the weak. The Dark Side is about survival. It’s about unleashing your inner power. It glorifies the strength of the individual.”

According to the author, the dark side of human nature is not linked to evil or wickedness. Rather, the darker aspects of human nature are associated with his survival instinct. He further argues that it helps us identify our inner strengths and also helps us glorify the truths hidden under the blanket of light or positivity. Thus, weak and ignorant people associate the dark side of human nature with evil. On the contrary, strong souls are polished on the dark sides. The phrase, once again, has been used in its literal meanings.

Example #4

The Phantom Menace by George Lucas

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

George Lucas in his work, The Phantom Menace, beautifully describes the meanings of the phrase, the dark side. To him, fear is the root cause of every problem; it paves the way for dark instincts, leads us to anger, hate, and sufferings. Therefore, the negative part of a person is polished and nurtured in fear.

Example #5

The Dark Side of the Sun by Terry Pratchett

The Dark Side of the Sun is a science fiction novel by Terry Pratchett. It details the far-future universe in which the scientific discipline of p-math is used to predict the future. The protagonist, Dominick Daniel, is a son of a prodigy of probability math who spends his life trying to discover the Joker’s world.  Unfortunately, he is assassinated but his predictions about his son mark the center of his life and success. His son, Dom, survives after fighting all the odds and he fulfills his father’s unaccomplished mission; he discovers the Joker’s world by defeating the conspiracy that has long worked to prevent people from locating the secret world. Thus, the dark side of the sun refers to something mysterious. Therefore, it is a connotative use of the phrase.

Example in Sentences

Example #1: “Stock market nowadays presents the dark side of economic reign.”

Example #2: “When you shuffle the pages of history, you will surely conclude that 9/11 represents the dark side of history.”

Example #3: “I always helped him in trouble and trussed him a lot but my heart started bleeding when I see his dark side in anger.”

Example #4: “Mr. Collin advised us to leave because fear leads a person to the dark side.”

Example #5: “We need to ignore the dark side of the things and remain positive in life.”