The Worst Sin

The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity. -- G.B. Shaw

 

I agree with this.  Human beings are not complete in isolation; we are herd animals.  We need each other in a very profound way and indifference toward others, silencing or isolating others are ways of denying them their humanity.  

Needless to say, this is a sin of which I am guilty.  As much as I hate being invisible, I often fail to see others.  As with so many of my shortcomings, I just have to work on that.

Masks

Alienation begins when culture divides me against myself, puts a mask on me, gives me a role I may or may not want to play. Alienation is complete when I become completely identified with my mask, totally satisfied with my role, and convince myself that any other identity or role is inconceivable...

The man who sweats under his mask, whose role makes him itch with discomfort, who hates the division in himself, is already beginning to be free.

The Literary Essays of Thomas Merton: 381

I think alcoholics are especially able to appreciate Merton's comments.  While active we live under the mask of sobriety ("Hey, I just had one glass of wine.  I'm fine.") and recovery begins with the removal of that mask.  Full recovery, of course, doesn't stop there.  We have to live in the truth, however hard that may be and however far out of sync with the society around us that puts us.

Saw this on the web today

People were created to be loved.
Things were created to be used.
The reason why the world is in chaos is because
things are being loved and people are being used.

Been a long time

It's been a ridiculously long time since I posted to this blog.  It makes me think of something Frederick Brooks said in The Mythical Man Month, a classic work on software development:  "How does a project get to be a year late?  One day at a time."

I always think of the 'one day' slogan as applying to progress.  Well, I have to remind myself that it applies to degeneration as well.

So, here I am, still sober and resolved to get back here.  Posting to this blog forces me to think of my values and that's about as important as it gets.