Sunday musings – June 2, 2019
“Out, damned spot”
Most readers will immediately recognize the title quote by Lady Macbeth who utters this phrase while sleepwalking in the castle and imagining that she has blood on her hands. She and her husband are, as we know, responsible for many cruel behaviors including murder. The next line. Shakespeare gives her in this scene is “Hell is murky” indicating that she already is tormented with guilt.
All of us have, if we are honest or at least a little self-aware, engaged in behavior which was not consistent with what we believe or know to be moral or ethical. Depending on what we were taught as children we might assume the God of our understanding is going to punish us. . Many of us will torment ourselves as does Lady Macbeth while we imagine an angry God who is encouraging us to treat ourselves as the hopeless sinner that we are.
Not being accountable is not healthy or helpful and will ultimately lead to more unhealthy or hurtful behavior. Yet, beating oneself up will lead to feeling hopeless and likely result in one continuing to engage in behavior which is not consistent with one’s ethical or moral beliefs.
Jesus, Buddha, and the founders of the 12-step program would all have had similar advice for Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth and her husbands need to be accountable for their sins. They do not have the power to bring the murdered people back to life or to undo other hurtful deeds, but she and her husband could have admitted their horrible deeds, repented and, when possible, made amends. This, of course, does not happen with either the king or lady Macbeth nor is it the approach most judicial systems take. Justice is frequently equated with long term punishment. The tax payers achieve so called justice and the illusion of a safer community at great expense to them financially and at an even greater expense spiritually. The result is more disconnecting/hurtful behavior.
We in the United States increasingly execute fewer people and then only after many years of appeals. We may inflate our egos as we point fingers at North Korea’s “justice” systems as it executes 9 people and sentences another to hard labor for the alleged role in the failed talk with President Trump in February of 2019, but the truth is that we still have a very punishment model of dealing with people who are not able to connect lovingly and empathically with others or even with themselves. We also punish those who behavior we simply do not like or approve of. It is fascinating to me that those who do well in programs such as the 12-step program or others with active support group over and over again report that a significant factor and often the chief factor which allowed them to take the leap of working a recovery program is that, for the first time, they felt as if they belonged and were loved. As simplistic as it may sound, a sense of belonging and being loved is the key ingredient which is responsible for individuals being able to work together as a community. The success of the populist parties around the world seems largely related to individuals feeling as if someone cares about them and they are an important part of a community. Post WWI Hitler gave many Germans a sense of importance and belonging to something greater than themselves.
Scientific understanding of anti-social behavior, including but not limited to that associated with addiction and other brain disorders, is in the early stages. I would not be surprised if we discovered that many of those who early in life feel alone and disconnected from others have a brain condition similar to that which is thought to be responsible for those on the autism spectrum. We do know that human brains develop at different rates. We also know that we all process and retain information differently. Furthermore, we know that diet, exercise, genetics, and environmental factors affect our ability to work and play congenially with others.
Science increasingly reinforces the teachings of many historic spiritual teachers. Perhaps it is time that we explored a judicial system based on science and not on what feels good temporarily but which helps no one long term. “Out damned spot” might be better greeted with a welcome hug, a format for making amends and a prescription for healing the brain physically and emotionally. Restorative justice might fit this prescription. It the brain is not capable of being healed so that the person is able to consider the needs and rights of others then the person may need to be in a safe, restrictive environment but they do not need to be punished for what they cannot change. We may not be able to “cast out demons” but we may know how to help the brain function in a way which can consider the needs and rights of others.
Written June 2, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Sunday musings – June 2, 2019
“Out, damned spot”
Most readers will immediately recognize the title quote by Lady Macbeth who utters this phrase while sleepwalking in the castle and imagining that she has blood on her hands. She and her husband are, as we know, responsible for many cruel behaviors including murder. The next line. Shakespeare gives her in this scene is “Hell is murky” indicating that she already is tormented with guilt.
All of us have, if we are honest or at least a little self-aware, engaged in behavior which was not consistent with what we believe or know to be moral or ethical. Depending on what we were taught as children we might assume the God of our understanding is going to punish us. . Many of us will torment ourselves as does Lady Macbeth while we imagine an angry God who is encouraging us to treat ourselves as the hopeless sinner that we are.
Not being accountable is not healthy or helpful and will ultimately lead to more unhealthy or hurtful behavior. Yet, beating oneself up will lead to feeling hopeless and likely result in one continuing to engage in behavior which is not consistent with one’s ethical or moral beliefs.
Jesus, Buddha, and the founders of the 12-step program would all have had similar advice for Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth and her husbands need to be accountable for their sins. They do not have the power to bring the murdered people back to life or to undo other hurtful deeds, but she and her husband could have admitted their horrible deeds, repented and, when possible, made amends. This, of course, does not happen with either the king or lady Macbeth nor is it the approach most judicial systems take. Justice is frequently equated with long term punishment. The tax payers achieve so called justice and the illusion of a safer community at great expense to them financially and at an even greater expense spiritually. The result is more disconnecting/hurtful behavior.
We in the United States increasingly execute fewer people and then only after many years of appeals. We may inflate our egos as we point fingers at North Korea’s “justice” systems as it executes 9 people and sentences another to hard labor for the alleged role in the failed talk with President Trump in February of 2019, but the truth is that we still have a very punishment model of dealing with people who are not able to connect lovingly and empathically with others or even with themselves. We also punish those who behavior we simply do not like or approve of. It is fascinating to me that those who do well in programs such as the 12-step program or others with active support group over and over again report that a significant factor and often the chief factor which allowed them to take the leap of working a recovery program is that, for the first time, they felt as if they belonged and were loved. As simplistic as it may sound, a sense of belonging and being loved is the key ingredient which is responsible for individuals being able to work together as a community. The success of the populist parties around the world seems largely related to individuals feeling as if someone cares about them and they are an important part of a community. Post WWI Hitler gave many Germans a sense of importance and belonging to something greater than themselves.
Scientific understanding of anti-social behavior, including but not limited to that associated with addiction and other brain disorders, is in the early stages. I would not be surprised if we discovered that many of those who early in life feel alone and disconnected from others have a brain condition similar to that which is thought to be responsible for those on the autism spectrum. We do know that human brains develop at different rates. We also know that we all process and retain information differently. Furthermore, we know that diet, exercise, genetics, and environmental factors affect our ability to work and play congenially with others.
Science increasingly reinforces the teachings of many historic spiritual teachers. Perhaps it is time that we explored a judicial system based on science and not on what feels good temporarily but which helps no one long term. “Out damned spot” might be better greeted with a welcome hug, a format for making amends and a prescription for healing the brain physically and emotionally. Restorative justice might fit this prescription. It the brain is not capable of being healed so that the person is able to consider the needs and rights of others then the person may need to be in a safe, restrictive environment but they do not need to be punished for what they cannot change. We may not be able to “cast out demons” but we may know how to help the brain function in a way which can consider the needs and rights of others.
Written June 2, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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