The antidote to arrogance.
Over and over, in this moment and moments to come, we commit and recommit to loving kindness, compassionate understanding, and inclusive action.
Dear friends:
Arrogance. Egotism. Hubris.
Back in college, superb teachers introduced me to the tragedies of Shakespeare, plays which put those elements of human experience on display. The deeper lesson of each story was the understanding that when arrogance among the powerful soars, tragedy follows.
In mythology, hubris - putting oneself on the same level as the gods - leads inevitably to those same gods constructing elaborate, often cruel, punishments, designed to remind humans of their limitations.
This past week, we witnessed an astounding display of arrogance and egotism, in the reconstruction of the events that unfolded during the violent attack on Congress on January 6, 2021. Leaders placed their own desire for power above the will of the people. Tragedy did follow, with immediate injury and death, as those same leaders chose not to act to stop it.
We heard about a group of elite individuals, with power, wealth, and status, who were more concerned about “winning” or “losing” then about the lives and well-being of the people their decisions impacted.
These are the people, and this is the world view, that one major party wants to install in power throughout our country. They have had tremendous success so far. And as depicted in the stories from mythology and Shakespeare, they act out of a belief that they are better than their fellow humans, god-like in their knowledge, divinely placed to control the rest of us.
Meanwhile, they claim roots in a Christian philosophy that prioritizes humility, inclusion, forgiveness, and love. The falseness of this witnessing is, in itself, a sign of arrogance.
We can watch and wait for others in authority to act (and I certainly expect, and hope, they will). Legal actions will have limited impact, however, compared to the power of people coming together to care for one another, to build inclusive communities, and to nurture our beautiful planet.
A big part of our job at this moment in history is to live our values. Refuse to turn against one another. Refuse to believe that only those in power can make decisions. Refuse to accept the narrative that we are permanently, violently, divided.
Cynicism and resignation are toxic. Giving up on the truth is fatal. Over and over, in this moment and moments to come, we commit and recommit to loving kindness, compassionate understanding, and inclusive action.
It’s our only hope; fortunately, it is the most powerful human force that exists.
Be safe and well, and thank you for committing to this journey.