Margaret Thatcher famously said:There is no such thing as Society. There are individual men and women and there are families. [October 31st, 1987, Woman's Own]
If that is so, then there is a great deal of simple cleverness behind the exhortation to:
# 'love your fellow man' and to
# 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you'.
Clearly that's an impossible task for the bulk of us but there is a compromise position which works:
# If every person, when he or she goes out for the day, decides to do just one act of kindness that day to someone neither family nor friend, the exponential power behind that would transform society.
# If every person would forgive another just once in the week, rather than pursuing a dispute or a point-scoring exercise, the energy and nerve savings would be astronomical.
# If every person would select the issues on which he or she'll fight to the death, rather than fight every little slight and every little injustice done to him or her, the mental health benefits would be enormous. In my eyes, this is the real philosophy behind 'turn the other cheek'.
Very simple, very do-able and look at the alternative:
Long running, protracted disputes which become old grievances, which inevitably lead to bitterness, poor health and a jaundiced view of humanity and sap the very life out of us and age us before our time.
Better the first idea.
Instead of every person doing ONE act of kindness a day (which, while it may grow exponentially will only affect that one person you did it for, not the 24534625345234 others);
ReplyDeleteWe should all strive to do NO acts of injustice each day. This too only affects one person (you) but lingers onto everyone else.
I've always tried to live by the live and let live philosophy. I tend to try and analyse what is going on because I have an understanding that basically people are good. And if it isn't a problem then let's not make it one. I'll help third parties where I can but within limits, family and close friends a lot more.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I'm not very forgiving. Particularly betrayal. I tend to trust people, even strangers, until I'm screwed by them and if I'm lied to or stolen from then that trust goes and I treat them differently. So much so it is effectively the end of the relationship.
I have few issues where I would fight to the death. Generally though I like to talk through my differences but after a short while I just give up and just accept we would never agree. I don't tend to take umbrage very easily and thus don't tend to get in arguments where I fall out with people.
One thing I learnt a long time ago was to recognise what I can control and what I can't. What I can control goes the way I want it and what I can't I'll try and influence but no matter how it goes I tend not to get too bothered about it.
Oh and I try and live my life on the understanding that every decision I make, every action I take will be found out by the world and I want to avoid making decisions I can't justify and live with.
Not quite what you are looking for but the basic philosophy allows me to live without too much stress and I don’t cause stress to the others I meet.
Lord Nazh - you're definitely onto something there.
ReplyDeleteBag, whaddaya mean: "Not quite what you are looking for but the basic philosophy allows me to live without too much stress and I don’t cause stress to the others I meet."?
It's exactly what I mean, put a different way from a very realistic and human perpsective.
Well your middle one was about forgiveness. I'm very trusting up front but temper that with a recognisable lack of forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I meant. Not quite what you were about but simple to follow.