I should begin with a disclaimer or maybe ‘foreword’; playing with words today. I have suspicions. The word Suspicion means: A mental state, usually short of ‘Belief’ in which one entertains a notion that something is wrong. That notion can grow based on insufficient facts, intolerant and harsh or unfair judgment to become a fixed in Belief. That would make it a Bias, similar to Prejudice only not as extreme. Bias and prejudice (the words) are commonly used incorrectly if the extreme harsh judgment is well researched and fairly applied. Investigative reporters are tasked with that responsibility before they can expose an unscrupulous landlord or a ponzi scheme. But to dehumanize and deny others for cause that is not only false but malicious as well, that is Prejudice. What is extreme: how big does a horse have to be before we think it ‘Huge’?
Me touching on human nature may seem like overkill. After all, how long did the early navigators keep insisting the world wasn’t flat ? I have addressed human nature frequently and in depth so I won’t spend much time here. But in a nutshell, emotions and impulse are generated in a region of the brain that is inaccessible to the conscious mind but they are powerful in controlling decisions and behavior. This is not a debatable issue, it just is. People tend to behave in ways that make them feel good (emotional comfort) in the moment with little or no thought to what could possibly go wrong. Human nature drives us to rely on emotions long before we consider logic and rationale. It explains ‘What was I thinking’ and ‘Should have known better.’ It also sanctified Slavery, Debtors’ Prison and beating children. But we (people) do it (what feels good), even high minded people with good intentions.
I live with suspicions every day, about one thing or another. I can be an agent of change in some situations, I can observe and analyze my way to a better understanding even if there is no way for me to act on it. I know I have biases and I think of it as a weakness or a flaw. But I can work on it and I do. If the perception is corrupted by human nature and I have believed what I want to believe without shaking the tree then shame on me. I remember as a kid, my dad could only belittle and judge harshly Middle Eastern people and their culture. I don’t think he had any direct contact with Arabs or Turks or Palestinians but he seemed knowledgable; I was a kid and he was my role mode. The religious disconnect has never been an issue, only a variable. I am at serious odds with my own culture in that area. Pick a religion, Judaism, Christianity, Islam; one is as bad as another. Patriarchal, authoritarian, sexist with a history of violence within their own jurisdictions and beyond. During this Hamas/Israel war I have trouble taking sides. My dad would have said, “Leave them alone, let them kill each other. That’s all they’ve wanted to do for several thousand years.” Christians are more utilitarian, focus on pursuit of material wealth and less about taking revenge. But I am vulnerable to news and movies where Muslims are portrayed as evil and judged harshly in spite of unfair exploitation by the Western world. But when the Jihadi gets blown away on big screen and the Gringo walks away, I can feel that self righteous pulse stir inside me and I hate it. After a lifetime I have learned to mentally reject and suppress it but I can’t kill it.
As much as I don’t like the way they treat their women, it’s their culture. Technology has shrunk the world so nobody is isolated anymore. Cultures and traditions overlap and spill over, a recipe for prejudice and violence. A Christian minister who was also a friend once told me; “You are stuck here in a world you didn’t break and cannot fix. Live the best life you can and do no harm.” That’s great but is there a singular, ‘Best Life’ and what constitutes “Harm’? So I play with words, press leaves between the pages and stack rocks as if they will stay stacked after I’m gone. I make believe my suspicions are harmless and if my judgment is unfair or harsh I hope it falls short of malicious bias and wicked prejudice. Maybe I just need to lighten up, maybe I would feel better. To my disappointment I’ve learned that feelings are unreliable. They can make you happy in the moment but they can also leave you with empty pockets and a bloody nose that won't stop bleeding. This little rant is a hell of a way to close the book on 2023 but it’s the best I can do for now.
Me touching on human nature may seem like overkill. After all, how long did the early navigators keep insisting the world wasn’t flat ? I have addressed human nature frequently and in depth so I won’t spend much time here. But in a nutshell, emotions and impulse are generated in a region of the brain that is inaccessible to the conscious mind but they are powerful in controlling decisions and behavior. This is not a debatable issue, it just is. People tend to behave in ways that make them feel good (emotional comfort) in the moment with little or no thought to what could possibly go wrong. Human nature drives us to rely on emotions long before we consider logic and rationale. It explains ‘What was I thinking’ and ‘Should have known better.’ It also sanctified Slavery, Debtors’ Prison and beating children. But we (people) do it (what feels good), even high minded people with good intentions.
I live with suspicions every day, about one thing or another. I can be an agent of change in some situations, I can observe and analyze my way to a better understanding even if there is no way for me to act on it. I know I have biases and I think of it as a weakness or a flaw. But I can work on it and I do. If the perception is corrupted by human nature and I have believed what I want to believe without shaking the tree then shame on me. I remember as a kid, my dad could only belittle and judge harshly Middle Eastern people and their culture. I don’t think he had any direct contact with Arabs or Turks or Palestinians but he seemed knowledgable; I was a kid and he was my role mode. The religious disconnect has never been an issue, only a variable. I am at serious odds with my own culture in that area. Pick a religion, Judaism, Christianity, Islam; one is as bad as another. Patriarchal, authoritarian, sexist with a history of violence within their own jurisdictions and beyond. During this Hamas/Israel war I have trouble taking sides. My dad would have said, “Leave them alone, let them kill each other. That’s all they’ve wanted to do for several thousand years.” Christians are more utilitarian, focus on pursuit of material wealth and less about taking revenge. But I am vulnerable to news and movies where Muslims are portrayed as evil and judged harshly in spite of unfair exploitation by the Western world. But when the Jihadi gets blown away on big screen and the Gringo walks away, I can feel that self righteous pulse stir inside me and I hate it. After a lifetime I have learned to mentally reject and suppress it but I can’t kill it.
As much as I don’t like the way they treat their women, it’s their culture. Technology has shrunk the world so nobody is isolated anymore. Cultures and traditions overlap and spill over, a recipe for prejudice and violence. A Christian minister who was also a friend once told me; “You are stuck here in a world you didn’t break and cannot fix. Live the best life you can and do no harm.” That’s great but is there a singular, ‘Best Life’ and what constitutes “Harm’? So I play with words, press leaves between the pages and stack rocks as if they will stay stacked after I’m gone. I make believe my suspicions are harmless and if my judgment is unfair or harsh I hope it falls short of malicious bias and wicked prejudice. Maybe I just need to lighten up, maybe I would feel better. To my disappointment I’ve learned that feelings are unreliable. They can make you happy in the moment but they can also leave you with empty pockets and a bloody nose that won't stop bleeding. This little rant is a hell of a way to close the book on 2023 but it’s the best I can do for now.
Over the long run the "golden mean" prevails but sadly, like deferred rewards, it's not a path most people find satisfying in the short term?
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