The white moderates, who are "more devoted to 'order' than to justice," refuse to fight for racial equality and instead advocate a "negative peace absent of tension" over a "positive peace in which justice is present" (King). The goal of social justice is similarly tossed to the side by the many Negroes who have become complacent with segregation as a product of "many long years of oppression" (King). Lastly, there are the black nationalist groups, who, "nourished by the Negro's frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination," work directly against the common good by expressing their hatred toward whites through measures "perilously close to violence" (King). Therefore, by refusing to fight for the common good, the three groups inhibiting the end of segregation use time in a negative manner that enables it to endure for several years. How is it, though, that this endurance imposes a psychological cost on the "Good Life"?.
The perpetuation of existing racial discrimination resulting from a refusal by blacks and whites to join to fight for the common good indeed imposes a psychological cost on the "Good Life." It does so by warping society's understanding of what the "Good Life" is. As the groups mentioned in the previous paragraph disregard the struggle to achieve social equality, time acts as a negative force to propagate the separation of races in society. As this happens, whites and blacks begin to formulate their understandings of the "Good Life." Whites see their "Good Life" as maintaining superiority over blacks and ending their protests for equality. On the other hand, blacks seek a new outlet to express their desire for freedom, and they begin to understand their "Good Life" as taking revenge against whites through violent actions (King).