system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Are the "Light Side" and "Dark Side" of the Force inherently good or evil, respectively?
gpt
There are a number of theories, the most prominent are **The Living Force**, **The Unifying Force**, **The Potentium** (and it's inverse **The Way of The Dark**) and **The Insidious Force**.

According to **The Living Force**, the traditional understanding of The Force and the canonical view accepted by the Jedi Order, The Force surrounds and binds all living and most non-living things. It guides their actions but strong beings can use The Force as a tool for their own ends. This theory also dictates the need of a Light Side, which is harmonious and draws power from those who seek to follow the guidance of The Force over their own ends, and a Dark Side, which is chaotic and is strengthen by those who would use their power for selfish or destructive pursuits. As opposites these two sides are always in conflict. The Jedi Order holds that selflessness and harmony were good, and that selfishness and chaos were evil, so in terms of the Jedi, the Light Side is the inherently good natural state of the Force and the Dark Side is an inherently evil corruption of it.

However, the concept of good and evil sides of The Force are not only dependent on the Jedi's definitions, but also on they way the order interpretes The Force. For advocates of **The Unifying Force**, the Force has no sides; it is simply a willful and omniscient manifestation of destiny that could manipulate (and in turn be manipulated). According to this theory The Force neither had sides, nor took them, it, simply, was, and it acted to fulfill a destiny using both evil and good to achieve it's hidden goals, but revealed these goals through visions and premonitions to select individuals. Various incarnations of the Sith Order followed this theory, but not all, in addition some "Greyer" Jedi believe in this theory. 

Still, another set of theories paint a different picture of The Force, the adherents in **The Potentium of The Force** believe that, like followers of The Unifying Force, that the Force has no sides, but, unlike followers of The Unifying Force, that the Force is inherently good. In essence, The Potentium doesn't believe that there is a Dark Side, and that evil acts only occur to create the greater good. They believe that any any action, good or evil is acceptable as long as the intent was for the greater good (or even if the reaction helps the greater good). One of the major flaws in this theory is that it is untestable; constant evil can be waived-off by arguing that it will eventually bring about the greater good.

Conversely, disciples of **The Way of The Dark** believe that The Force is entirely and inherently evil. And that The Force only acts to cause more destruction, harm, pain and strife to the galaxy. Every action that occurs, occurs to make the galaxy a worse place. One of the best examples of this is the interpretation of this theory is Palpatine. Palpatine was able to achieve success against the Jedi and the Republic because his primary motive was the destruction of both parties. However, once he had achieved these goals and set about consolidating his rule and building the Empire, his focus shifted from destruction to creation, in total opposition to universal processes. Thus when before he could not fail, now he could never succeed.

Finally, there was the theory of **The Insidious Force**, possibly the most pessimistic theory. The believers of The Insidious Force believed that The Force was deceptively sinister and passively indifferent, and that it fed on the strife and conflict of Force-users and other individuals. They point to the countless and terrible wars that those who could harness The Force were part of. The Insidious Force bound all beings to its will and only called for conflict, regardless of morality. To followers of this theory, The Force was not only inherently evil, it was literally the force of evil and tyranny, enslaving everything to it's amoral ends. All actions, all beings, the entire galaxy and universe, everything existed solely for the Insidious Force's entertainment.

There are other minor theories on The Force, but most of them are superstitious beliefs that are used by undeveloped societies to explain Force phenomena.