"A good example is the best sermon." - Thomas Fuller

 

April 12, 2004

I watched a movie the other night called "The Witness", a Harrison Ford film from the 80's about a cop caught between the modern world and that of the Omish people. At the climax of the movie there's the typical life and death struggle in which the protagonist and antagonish clash. While this is occurring the little Omish boy central to the story runs to the main house where he rings a bell. The camera turns to focus on the surrounding countryside where other Omish can be seen running towards the farm, determined to see how they can help. Dozens show up from miles around with no more request than the simple ringing of a bell.

During the film my roommate commented something to effect, "Lets move there," and though I could do without getting up at 4:30 to milk the cows and acquiring the religious beliefs necessary to appropriately fit into that society, I understand and agree with her assertion. We live in a fast paced, modern world that's always going, going, going. Most of us wouldn't know a hard day's work if it bit us on the ass. And often in our culture people ring a bell for help, for kindness, for compassion, and for love, and are mocked, ridiculed, criticized, and ignored.

What I don't get is why people don't see how this poisons their lives socially, psychologically, and energetically. In the last six months I have witnessed people:

• Slandering every enemy, friend, co-worker, familial relation, and stranger they knew.
• Use others as objects of sexual gratification regardless of the ramifications (observed multiple people exhibiting this behavior).
• Repeatedly harass others then cry foul when they're stood up to.
• Continue dialog with someone who had turned them down because of their weight just so when they loose it they could meet again and tell the other, "Haha, you can't have me! Now go to Hell!"
• Spend hours talking to such people while at the same time ignoring someone who's spent a great deal of time and money to see them.
• Brag to others about calling their children derogatory names, yelling at them, slapping them, and gossiping about their sexual habits, then argue this is "good parenting".

I've had it put before me, "Why would you be around people like this?" I've tried to answer this and similar questions but the straight fact is people who are regularly critical, dishonest, gossipy, or afraid, can't even conceive what it means to be a genuinely honest and caring person. The first thing they say is, "Everyone has ulterior motives." There's no trust, no caring, no hope, no future besides a new pair of pants and blouse, eyebrow plucking, makeup wearing, perfume covered, fuck whomever, superficiality.

And so it goes. We all make our choices. The challenge is to make them thoughtfully, wisely, and with kindness. That is not the act of a hero. That is the act of someone who wants a better world and is willing to stand up for it.