Cretinism

I was thinking this morning of our very human practice of judging ourselves and others.   In other words I was thinking of all the ways in which I (and others) can be an asshole or if you prefer a cretin.   Actually I found the word cretin among a list of synonyms for asshole.  The full list which came up when I googled was:

Ass; bastard; jackass; prick;cocksucker; dickhead; motherfucker;shit; son of a bitch; asshat; asswipe; idiot; jerk; pilgarlic; prig; schmuck;birdbrain; blockhead; bonehead; bobo; bore; buffon; clod; clown;cretin;dimwit; dolt; dope; dunce; dunderhead; fathead; goose;idiot; ignoramus; illiterate; imbecile; innocent; jackass, jerk; lightweight; loon; moron; nerd, nincompoop; ninny; nitwit, numskull; oaf; sap; schlemiel; silly; simple; simpleton; stooge; sucker; tomfool; turkey; twerp; twit; victim; dumb; easy mark; fair game; halfwit; lamebrain; mooncalf

Obviously we need to practice using synonyms more often and have a little fun with our tendency to accuse ourselves or others as being more or less human than others.   The fact that we have such a  long list with many referring to body parts or functions (interesting isn’t it) tells me that we humans often act as if we can judge ourselves and each other.

It is as if we have a list of all possible ways we could hurt ourselves, another person(s), or something else and we have a list of criteria by which we have assigned a point value.  For example, the criteria for evaluating an action might include:

·      Triggering old memories of hurts               10 points

·      Not noticing one’s new hairdo                   12 points

·      Insulting a family member                          6 points

·      Breaking favorite family heirloom                14 points

·      Hitting another intentionally                     20 points

·      Cursing                                                        5 points

·      Ignoring another                                        30 points

·      Unintentionally violating boundary             35 points

·      Not picking up your belongings in              10 points

·      Losing temper                                            12 points

·      Driving while impaired                                14 points

·      Hitting child when impaired                        80 points

·      Hitting “bad” person when impaired           15 points

·      Hitting “good” person when impaired        25 points

·      Getting rich by paying employees very          5 points

little

One could go on and on with this list. Each person or the community as a whole can vote on  the number of points for each wrong action or each action experienced as wrong by someone.    We could then pay someone to keep tract of each of our wrongdoings and  enter the points in the excel spread sheet every day. Since the excel program will automatically add up each column for each person we can quickly determine who is the most and who is the last worthwhile every day.  We then know to treat the “least of these” – very badly!!!!

Of course, our actual list is much longer. Even our list of laws is much longer.  We assign more points for repeat offenses or those which offend the beliefs or sensibilities of a particular segment of the populations.

The truth, of course, is that no matter whose set of points one uses, there is no way to scientifically determine what is fair or just.  If the goal was to be fair or just we would then have to come up with another set of criteria for how much punishing to award for a particular number of points.

It all gets quite exhausting and, yet, in one form or another we as a community and often as individuals act as if we have this God given chart.  Each of us might have a slightly different chart but they are all God given, thus giving us the right to judge ourselves or others as more or less deserving of love and respect.  Theologians and philosophers have, throughout the ages, attempted to devise a fair system for making these judgments. Who has the “right” system for completing this excel spread sheet?  Is it possible that none of us do?  Is it possible that all we humans hurt ourselves or other people, places or things all of the time in one way or another?   It is possible that we are all equally deserving of forgiveness?  Is it also possible that there may be some who are incapable of deciding not to be hurtful?  Certainly. Do we know why their brains are working in that manner?  Much of the time we do not know. Increasingly we can sometimes pinpoint how a particular brain tumor or a disease is affecting certain parts of the brain, but  can we blame the person for having such a condition?   Might we have to keep some people in a protective environment?  Yes, we might, but we would not put them in prison and punish them. 

Many religious traditions, including Christianity and Buddhism,  suggest that if we want to create a more loving and just world we have to love those who we find the most difficult to love.  We have to quit assuming that we are better than or morally superior because we are able to think and act in a certain way or because our “assholeness”  is less immediately damaging than that of “the other”.

We do not have a scientific way of assigning points on an excel spreadsheet to determine who is more and less good or kind on a particular day. 

Having said all that, I still want to do my best to be the kindest,  most loving person I can be today.  I want to be more aware of how my behavior affects others.  I want to use the luxury of my life and my brain health to do what I can to be of help to others.  I want to be grateful that I have been given a certain level of health, income and talent which today allows me to have a very blessed and comfortable life. Of course, that could change tomorrow. Just for today I will remind myself to be grateful and not boastful or judgmental.  If I notice myself being judgmental I will just notice that thought or action and gently, but firmly stop feeding that thought.