star wars - What's the difference between the Light side and the Dark side of the Force?

We know that Dark side is linked to emotion like fear and anger, but the interesting point here is the between line the two side of the force.

As an example, what make Mind tricks a "acceptable" force power for a Jedi? How could you hurt someone, like Obi-Wan does in the Mos Eisley Cantina when he slashed a alien's arm off with his lightsaber, and still be a Jedi?

Answer

In the Star Wars Universe, the difference between the light side and dark side is...a gray area.

Essentially, if you are using the Force out of anger, lust, greed, vengeance, or fear, you likely channel the dark side. If you are using the Force to defend you are using the light side.

There are very few techniques which are unambiguously light or dark. The ability to stimulate cellular regeneration ('Force Heal') is generally considered light, but a malicious individual could use it to restore health to a torture victim, for instance, to prepare them for more.

The only truly unique powers to either side are, I believe, Force Choke and Force Lightning. These are unambiguous mainly because they use the Force explicitly to kill. No other power seen uses the force for that purpose, and it can even be seen as mildly damaging to the Force itself to do so (since the Force is generated by life, using it to bring death is abominable).

For the most part, Force powers are tools, neither good nor bad on their own. Their USER is light or dark.

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