View from Chapel Window, Pizzaonian Monasteries, Pizzaonia - Image courtesy of the Pizzaoian Art Institute, Abe Straction, curator
The delicate lost art of introspection
How many of us are aware of the many times we are wrong? How many times in the past did we act on something based on misguided feelings, thoughts or misinformation? How many times did this result in hurt feelings or broken relationships? Did we do anything to correct it, or did we just assume we were right?
Unfortunately, we all start with implied prejudices as part of our thinking and along the way, our prejudices become so embedded in our thought processes, they become for us “the truth.” Thus begins our journey into self-righteousness and delusion, a journey from which many of us will never return.
Perhaps, this is inevitable in a culture that considers the individual more important than the community. Not that the collective representations of the community are any better, but at least, they offer external pressure to conform.
Honest self-reflection would help, but since being busy is how are worth is measured there is little time for personal introspection. How different our personal world would be if we had to courage to respect ourselves and the world we inhabit.
Footnote: If as you read this you were thinking of people these thoughts applied to, you are probably terminally infected with “self-delusion" and should consider immediate portalization to Pizzaonia.………
One last thought for Tea Partiers and their
advocates ---
All systems fail – eventually - no matter how good something works - it fails. Holding on to old ideas simply because they worked before is the road to oblivion. The only question we have in Pizzaonia about your behavior is why you insist on taking everyone with you when you drive off the inevitable cliff.
Brother Giovanni
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