Pondering
I find myself pondering something. Being relatively new to the blog world, and unfamiliar with all the ends and outs, the acceptable and not so acceptable manner of behavior, and overall philosophy of the entire operation.
There have been some things that I’ve observed that I find extremely fascinating. One, it’s amazing the amount of individuals that are out amongst the blog community. In fact, almost an overwhelming amount. Second, I’m amazed at the unity between bloggers, either through “real life” family or friendship relations, or merely from finding similar interest. Thirdly, the passions each have and are kind enough to share with others. Whether this is from personal experiences, culinary delights, spiritual viewpoints, sharing their sense of humor, etc. Moreover, I’m amazed at the amount of bloggers that take the time to write their own blogspots as well as find time to read/comment on others.
Yet, most riveting to me is how either influential or igniting one’s blogspot can have on another, to the point of either exciting or enraging something within the commenter. Moreover, I’m seeing the need to control or dictate on the behalf of the commenter to the blogger. Certainly, if the blogger is posting about something and inquiring on others opinions this is where I can see the above warranted. However, if someone is merely posting their thoughts, ideas, babblings, etc., do we have a right to control or dictate what they post?
Certainly some post are more thought provoking than others and stimulate different reactions. Therefore, shouldn’t we look within to see what is generating the immediate reaction (either positive or negation) we feel? For the immediate positive or negative reaction that arises is merely from our own experiences that we are either consciously or subconsciously aware of, and ultimately stir something within us. Just curious what the outcome would be if we addressed those feelings within side ourselves before immediately posting a pointed (finger pointing) comment on someone’s blogspot. It would appear as humans we are so quick to tell others how to live, act, respond, etc., yet do we hold ourselves to the same standard?
There have been some things that I’ve observed that I find extremely fascinating. One, it’s amazing the amount of individuals that are out amongst the blog community. In fact, almost an overwhelming amount. Second, I’m amazed at the unity between bloggers, either through “real life” family or friendship relations, or merely from finding similar interest. Thirdly, the passions each have and are kind enough to share with others. Whether this is from personal experiences, culinary delights, spiritual viewpoints, sharing their sense of humor, etc. Moreover, I’m amazed at the amount of bloggers that take the time to write their own blogspots as well as find time to read/comment on others.
Yet, most riveting to me is how either influential or igniting one’s blogspot can have on another, to the point of either exciting or enraging something within the commenter. Moreover, I’m seeing the need to control or dictate on the behalf of the commenter to the blogger. Certainly, if the blogger is posting about something and inquiring on others opinions this is where I can see the above warranted. However, if someone is merely posting their thoughts, ideas, babblings, etc., do we have a right to control or dictate what they post?
Certainly some post are more thought provoking than others and stimulate different reactions. Therefore, shouldn’t we look within to see what is generating the immediate reaction (either positive or negation) we feel? For the immediate positive or negative reaction that arises is merely from our own experiences that we are either consciously or subconsciously aware of, and ultimately stir something within us. Just curious what the outcome would be if we addressed those feelings within side ourselves before immediately posting a pointed (finger pointing) comment on someone’s blogspot. It would appear as humans we are so quick to tell others how to live, act, respond, etc., yet do we hold ourselves to the same standard?
I am interested to know your thoughts.
25 comments:
I have been following blogs for quite some time now, and in fact I may have introduced you to the world, I'm not sure . . . I have seen so much negativity towards authors, it is just absolutely sad that everyone is so quick to judge. I became introduced to the blogging world after I chose to follow through with one of the wishes my Grandpa stated in his will, which was that some of his money be donated to cancer research organizations. Since none of the other heirs seemed to be doing this, I decided to use some of my inheritance to donate monthly to St. Judes Childrens Cancer Research Hospital and UC Davis Childrens Hospital, and through my donations, I was given the links to families of children fighting cancer. I know it sounds really depressing, but I became addicted to reading about these wonderful fighters and their families . . . I have watched some fight until they couldn't fight any longer and I have watched some fight until modern medicine allowed them to not have to fight, regardless of their outcome, they have become a part of my daily life and my "family." Around the same time I became introduced to the above mentioned sites, I logged on to a blog site of a family who was keeping track of their "daughter's" progress after a car accident, only to realize it wasn't their daughter . . .remember the Whitney Cerak story? On this particular site, I read a comment one day that just tugged at my heartstrings, it was written by a woman named Jody, and I don't remember exactly what it was about her comment that struck me, but I immediately clicked on her name and was taken to her site . . . Let me tell you this, if you ever are feeling down, sad, depressed, like life just isn't fair, go visit Jody www.jodyferlaak.blogspot.com She is the most inspiring blog author I have come across, in fact, I read all the way back to the beginning of her blog because her words just melted my heart. Of course, this is just my opinion as I realize we all have different interests.
What I find amazing is how many fun and interesting blogs I find just by reading comments and clicking on the name. I honestly have atleast twenty that I follow on a regualr basis.
Anyway, back to my original thought . . . I have seen a lot of negativity from commenters, and it seems that no one even notices other comments until something negative is said, and then an all out war occurs. Why do we need to look for the negative? I TRY to always comment specifically about the post and my life experiences that may relate. My feeling is this, if I don't agree, or have anything nice to say, I'll just skip commenting that day, no big deal, I'll be back tomorrow. The Good Ol' Golden Rule!
Hey, is this my blog?
hello Ibee.
Nice pice by the way, and we for sure have something in common ( greek and egyption myths) :)
yeah, I mean blogging world has more than meets they eye! first I wasnt really into it, and I used to like judge those who constantly visist their pages and others' as well! but it happened like dat I wanted to get my own page share my thoughts and opinions anonymously becuase I ve had it with saying things that come back and bit u in the a** at the end of the day!
moreover, Its good to have some sort of feedback channel between what u say and how it stimulates people's reactions! so for me, its one of the best damn things that happened to me in this new year, and hope similar good things are right around the corner!
ciao now :)
salam ibee.. you know very well your post is rining in my mind.. Ill collect my thoughts on this and be back to you.. it relates to the new post I wrote amending the first one :P..
c u soon sis, salam
Hi Mixed Up Me,
Thanks for sharing Jody's blogsite; I can't wait to check it out.
I agree the exploration of others blogsites from someone's comment section is exciting. For one never really knows what they are going to discover, but the anticipation is fun.
I also agree with the negative commenters seem to be attention getters---especially the anonymous ones. Yes, you did intrigue my thoughts on blogging and one Sunday afternoon I took the leap of faith and began exploring. Although I wanted to submit my comments to some I did not feel it was right to do so as an anonymous so went and got my own blog account. Even if I had no intentions in the beginning of blogging, but rather commenting, I felt that it was the responsible and grown up thing to do, to leave my comment with a reflection of who I was. Anonymous commenters almost seem a little cowardly to me. Or, maybe like in our country when those that complain about the government officials in office, but don’t vote. In my opinion – then your vote or comment doesn’t count because you are not registering yourself as worthy of an opinion.
Oh goodness, I think I need to eat lunch as this seems to be coming out a little grumpy perhaps. Brain food will help. :o)
Salam Lost-Libyan,
Wooooohooooo to the Greek/Egyptian Ancients. ;-)
I’ve recently mentioned to my dad and one of my friend’s I work for that I started a blog and their comments have been “oh good grief! Who has time for that?” lol
I don’t know that I would do the anonymous comment myself because I feel no matter what I share or comment I must first be true to myself who is in turn being true to God.
I absolutely and completely agree with you on the confirmation or validation one receives with feedback. Sometimes or if not often we are too close to the situation as if standing too close to a wall to actually see the solution. Although the situation may seem more severe than we might think in reality it usually isn’t. However, the only way we can learn that is from gathering information from those around us that aren’t as close to the situation or the wall.
So delighted to know this has been a great experience for you, and wish you many more wonderful years of exciting experiences, inshallah.
I have to agree so far this experience has been amazing.
Wasalam Mani,
Ringing in our mind is good, right? Lol It’s when we start answering ourselves out loud people think we’re looney.
I most certainly look forward to your thoughts. Isn’t that half the fun – the anticipation, the build up of what’s to come?
My regards to your sweetie, as I know you hold her near and dear to your heart, mashallah. May Allah bless and protect you both, inshallah.
Barbie,
I know that "sometimes" we probably deserve to be judged for what we say.. after all we are purposely iterating it to a global audience, rather than our own personal journal or diary. The blogging world is to our Web 2.0 generation, like paying for a full page ad in the Washington post was years ago.. we are allowed to share our thoughts in as much or little detail as we want to, with whomever we want to, for whatever reason we want to and eventually, many across the world will see it and have thoughts about what we said.
Opening ourselves to that freedom also opens us to critique as well.
I can tell you from my own personal history that I've written some major imflammatory posts on my own blog in the past, when I should have sat down properly, collected my thoughts, and then posted them in a coherent manner, better enabling my reader to understand what I meant...
Instead, I screamed it on the blog like a child and usually I got reprimanded like one.
I have ONE rule in my blogging. I take anything back,and I never ever ever delete a post. That's my rule. I treat my blog as if it were public conversation.
Have you ever just been really frustrated in public and said something that made the people around you just stare at you... then you get that embarassing hot flash when you realize you've just made a fool of yourself? Well, that's what I equate to a bad blog... it's like screaming rude obscenities at people in public. Once it's been done, it can't be taken back, so you just roll with it, accept the licks you'll get from others, and know better next time.
So, I guess I'm saying that YES I understand that my blog is MY blog and I should be able to say what i want without critique, but then again if I feared critique, I should have posted it in a private place for myself alone, not for the world at large to see.
Ya know... that was WAY more answer than I intended for that thought.... I tend to overextrapolate from time to time.. lol.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on it. I appreciate the thoughts, and the kind words.
@ Tommy:
Couldn't have said it better myself :).
you are a true angel, true to your word, true to your belief and true to yourself.
I don’t believe that anything is life is not controlled by boundaries as even life's boundary can be death (depending on what the person believes) and although you are free to drive a car you can’t reverse on a high way (tried it and it was not good), so what are these blogs boundaries? where do we draw the line of right and wrong? and who is to tell me/you what to write and what not to write? When do we know that we may or may not hurt someone’s feelings (religious or personal)....... I would say "live & learn" as all of us are defining "right" and "wrong" and each bloggers is putting in something to this constitution and we are learning from each other........ so IBEE although i might have not been specific to anything and left a lot of unanswered loose ends but those loose ends are what make these blogs unique
Have Fun and "Live & Learn" but your living and your leaning don’t need to hurt or offend anyone but we live & learn to accommodate everyone
Sorry if i took long
Fe Aman Allah
(In God's Protection I Leave You)
Hi T-T-Tommy,
Thank you for stopping by, taking the time to read and comment so eloquently on this post.
I completely agree with your comment “Opening ourselves to that freedom also opens us to critique as well”. Certainly everyone should know and understand what they are subjecting themselves too when they begin a blog. For the first steps in setting up a blog account allows the originator to set their boundaries. Moreover, I understand the narcissism in humans to want to dominate and control an environment. What better way then through a blogsphere?
More notably, I understand the need sometimes to “throw up”, so to speak, on own blog page because after all we are the creators of that blog. Likewise, just as any established relationship with sound communication, these tirades we occasionally find ourselves spilling out in our own blog page are or at least should be considered by the commenter. Of course there are those that may stumble by for the first time and wonder “What the heck!” And comment accordingly. I’m not suggesting we should sugarcoat our comments in an effort to not hurt someone’s feelings, but rather find out what’s going on with the blogger in an effort to better understand their post before immediately taking the defense and spewing your own two cents worth. For how often have we had a bad day and just needed to vent----with no need of anyone “fixing” the problem, because in fact there really isn’t a problem but rather a need to just get it out.
I respect your integrity of not deleting a post and the standard you set for yourself.
As you can see, I’m not one to jaught short sentences either, so welcome the feedback.
Thank you.
salam ibeebarbie
I really enjoyed reading your post and felt a part of me was there as it applies to most of us bloggers.
I have had occasions when something was bothering me and I wrote about it then after cooling down felt sorry for writing it but did not delete it as it was how I felt then when I wrote it but this is what blogging is all about.
sometimes I feel my comment might be an intrusion as I feel its not my business to disagree with someone but having comments makes you open for anything, some bloggers turn commenting off so that their thoughts or feelings are not challanged or debated.
I have only ever deleted 1 post and that was only after a dear friend kept asking me to delete it and I eventually agreed to it becuase I didnt want my friend to get in trouble, inshaAllah this wont happen again.
Salam ibee again :)
I came back only to find that most of my thoughts were written by Tommy and like PH noted, I probably couldnt have said it beter myself too :)
Yes my sweetie is the closest person to my heart alhamdulillah and I pray she remains so. :D
I do wish to add another dimension however.
I feel that most of the comments made by Tommy, yourself and others focused on the individual dimension of blogging, that is to say, their capacity and confidence for self expression, and what they should expect as a result.
I think another important perspective is the perspective of the community. Once we humans start making relationships, be it in the real world or on the blogsphere, we instantly are in a position to check our own ego's, thoughts and words.
Not only that but by our nature when we seek to belong socially, we seek those that can either understand us, or those who we feel we can understand.
It is the COMMUNITY, that a lot of bloggers begin to identify with, and find comfort in belonging. The community is made up of the people in it and the relationships they have with each other, so the natural dynamic of a community will be twofold;
to accept and empower those who share it principles and help it develop
to reject, over time, those who do not share it's principles, and thus end up disrespecting it's members.
The blogsphere is very much the free market of ideas. While the blogger is free to sell his words in any way they like, follow or break conventions, be rude or impolite (even in comments), other individual bloggers also have a right to either buy or not, critique or not, and even compete. the Blogsphere therefore is a free market, and not your private 'home', backyard, or diary.
If the blogger wanted to make it so, Blogspot conveniently offers filters, passwords and restricted access.
The blogger who expects whole heartedly to be respected soley for their views, because they are writing them on their blog (like we arabs say, without AHEM or dustoor: basically meaning without an AHEM or costitution lol) is very selfish and do so, to their own detriment, if they seek a community.
They fail to recognise that others have subjectve perceptions, ethics, codes of conduct and attitudes.
u say u are unfamiliar with what is the acceptable and not so acceptable manner of behaviour for the blog world. But you need'nt look hard at all. There are none.
There is no defined measure at all, like there is no measure in the real world of what is acceptable or what is not. I mean yes, now the world does have a more hemogenous understanding of what is 'acceptable' and what is not, especially when billions of people share the same manners, religious texts for example, or political doctrines across national borders and so on, but these are not set in stone.
In fact they are completely dependant on the relationships between these people and how they justify their actions to one another. Human interaction is justified purely by convention.
I will bring the example here of someone I used to hold dear as a friend, but felt compelled to leave their company; Cofman. (this is not backbiting because it's not private). He aspired to be a member of a community that does have some basic understanding and rules, while declaring on his blog (to his credit) that he abides by 'No Rules'. I didnt see the significance of the statement at the time, but now I wished I had seen it sooner, because I honestly feel upset when I lose rapport or friendship with someone I once held dear; I thought honesty, understanding and respect for fellow blogger community was a rule. I was wrong.
In the freemarket of products and goods, an established company that has a loyal customer base (a community of buyers) will expect to be much more harshly reprimanded by its loyal customers for breaking conventions on quality, price, manners etc than say, window shoppers, or one-off byers and stopper-by's.
The same is true in the free market of ideas in the blogsphere.
Therefore, the basis of any community is understanding. The company needs to target and understand it's customrs well, just as the blogger needs to select and understand their community well. If thy do not, and persist in offending the community, they will be naturally given the red-card.
I am sorry for the long spiel and apologise if I have offended anyone, I am just trying to be honest and lay it out on the table.
Thanks ibee :) Salam sis
Salam A_Akak,
Shukran for taking the time and post your comment. Truly it’s greatly appreciated and well respected.
Thank you for also bringing humor through your example of putting the car in reverse on the highway. Can you imagine? Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeck!
I agree with you when you stated “Have Fun and "Live & Learn" but your living and your leaning don’t need to hurt or offend anyone but we live & learn to accommodate everyone”. For this, in my opinion, is established through effective communication and respectful boundaries.
Thank you for bringing this up, and for always being true to yourself, alhamdullilah.
Fe Aman Allah
Salam Anglo-Libyan,
Thank you as always for your insight. I do agree with you that this blogging has been a great source of release for thoughts that get discombobulated in our heads. It certainly seems to make more since to jot these ideas down or in this case type them just to release the thought, rather than go destroy yourself or another human being. For, there is nothing more precious on this planet than Allah’s creations. Allah Akbar! Certainly there are those that like to cause trouble. The unfortunate thing we have to deal with when there is more than one person involved. For them to manipulate, cause pain and otherwise is a form of entertainment. I can honestly say that in my very short existence in blogging I’ve not seen that, except maybe with some commenters. However, I have not gotten a since that anyone posting their blogs were maliciously doing so in the hopes of destroy another, inshallah.
Salam Mani,
Once again, well stated. It’s no secret as I’ve mentioned perhaps more than once before that I’m a fan of your thought process. Perhaps because on some level we share similar thoughts, ideas, reasoning skills, etc. Certainly that is a factor in attracting us to other human beings – the similarities make us comfortable as well as feel understood. Very important for the human – to feel heard and validated. Note – validation does not mean agreement with the other, but rather confirming they’ve had a voice. A good example of that is the amount of responses received on this post alone. These comments were not single lined comments; they were well thought out, passionate responses. You could feel that it was coming from the individual’s truth source, which is their heart, alhamdullilah.
I concur with you on the points you were making with respect to the collective individuals gathering together thus forming a community. Furthermore, once joined as a community with or without rules we all seem to take on certain roles and personas to make up the whole. Certainly many of the community rules of acceptance and intolerance are unspoken and yet somehow we conform without question. Realizing this is the beginning basic of our human existence when we enter this world. Conformity and such instantly gets engrained in us without question or objection. For when taught so young, how would anyone know anything different – it’s automatically accepted as normal.
I do agree that loyal customers hold a company to a higher standard than a window-shopper. The same holds true for relationships (i.e., we expect certain things of family or friends) However, in the reversal of that statement why do we treat strangers, acquaintances with less restrictions than say a friend or family member? Intrigued to know the double standard.
On a communal note, again with so many variants of spoken and more importantly unspoken rules in place, and seeing there’s always a hierarchy in place even though no formal elected officials are holding office, what responsibility does the one or few that are in the head position(s) hold? Realizing there is by nature leaders and followers (i.e., shepherds and sheep), which make up the comfort of the community, and the ebb and flow of things, but what responsibility does the chief or leaders have in determining the fate of others? How does someone who’s perceived as being very wise, well respected and even on a pedal stool based on someone else’s opinion, keep from swaying the follower or sheep from adopting their ideas as their own, rather than assisting the follower to determine their own decisions?
Wow – realize changing the dynamics of this post a little, but I feel we are on an archeology dig – searching for the treasure. Of course, the treasure uncovered or unearthed should always be TRUTH.
Shukran bro! Looking forward to see where this leads. ;-)
Salam again sis ibee :)
I really appreciate your compliments although I seriously don’t think they apply as I am as confused, if not more, than most individuals. Maybe its why I enquire and enquire so much.. you know.. a lot of people don’t think they need to these days and are content with just seeking their maximum welfare.. or having fun :P
Please let me say first that you will never unearth truth, like you will never be able to calculate the end of the digits that make up π nor the exact number of colors in a rainbow.
There is no truth in our short-lived reality for us to uncover. This of course is the basic reality of 3'eib, or (the unknown) that is the foundation for our free will and its subsequent judgment by Allah swt, and thus straight away invalidates the human's ego at attaining and prescribing any form of 'truth'.
This is the divine check on human godliness, the check that frees man from the worship of man when he begins to use of his reason.
Time is purely the illusion of light, in which we humans are trapped. This is also why the quest of the scientist must always go on, because we don’t get to know truth, but always seem to move towards closer approximations to the truth.
That said, let me take the four themes you brought up in your response; namely:
-"The similarities make us comfortable as well as understood"
-"Conformity in community"
-"Why do we treat strangers, acquaintances with less restrictions than say a friend or family member?"
-"Hierarchy"
Well, with regard to the first I wanna point out ibee hat you may have slipped and taken effect for cause. Although I agree that the similarities sometimes make us comfortable (we are comfortable by the nature of sharing be it food, or of certain attributes, skills and modes of thinking) I don’t think they necessarily make us understood. What would you learn from someone very similar to you? Not much I think.
I would in fact switch it and say that its being understood that make us comfortable, which will slowly turn into 'similarities' as understanding develops into personal relationships between individuals.
Only understanding can result in what you called 'validation'. I suggest 'Acknowledgement'. A human should recognize themselves as 'validated' simply because they exist.
If it was 'similarities' that was the basis of group cohesion, this group will naturally be a society of conformists and 'sheep', save for the few who's reason penetrates their barrier of ignorance.
If 'similarities' was the basis of a man-woman sexual relationship, neither will ever feel truly validated, until they validate themselves at the expense of the other (the battle of the ego).
Understanding is the function of reason. It is root of our freedom, and the source of our knowledge. Indeed, you repeated what Allah swt said because it is a property of the heart. Taqua and wisdom are the results of reason+loss of the ego.
Which brings me to your second point, and I wish to follow on from the 'similarities' as the basis of group cohesion, thus the society of sheep.
You have to be careful ibee you are describing an organicists' view of human societies here. This is of course, the totalitarian, authoritarian view. This long tradition invoked by Plato and Aristotle and is the basis for all 'commmunal' ideologies, like communism, Zionism, fascism, etc, pernicious of the individual at the expense of the 'state' or group.
Institutionalized social science has long harmed our capacity for understanding by using a structuralist approach, and confining the individuals into 'cog in a motion' in society if you will.
They are naturally lead to this mode of enquiry simply because that of the reality of social science discipline.. it started as an imperialist tool to help better rule societies… and as such had to take a certain methodical, and conceptual tools to go about their 'understanding'..
Anyway I digress.. I just wanted to point out that when we consider understanding as the root, rather than similarities,,, similarities becomes purely a an outcome of two important factors:
1) cowardice
2) ignorance
The failure to use reason is cowardice, as it is the capitulation to the ego, be it a person's own(kofr), or that of others (shirk). It is naturally rooted in fear of the unknown and we know that the root of all evil is fear, and the root of all fear is ignorance.
Trust, is the answer to your question: Why do we treat strangers, acquaintances with less restrictions than say a friend or family member?
That's the cause of the double standard right there for you;
Trust.
This truly ambiguous tendency rooted in human fear…This continuous calling and spiritual pulse of our existence.
The ignorant are those who do not wish to explore their reason but instead believe themselves or others, How?
Because its our senses we trust first. What we see. What we hear. Who we know and what we touch and do.
The more we trust the more we are relaxed in discolsing 'truths' about ourselves, and the more relaxed we are in accepting 'truths' from others. But the more we trust, the more trust itself becomes a goal, and we start seeking trust by seeking what we associate with trust ('reputable' career, University qualification etc). These associations all come with a lot of unspoken rules and paths of development, which naturally trust will force us to conform to like you said.
On the other hand, to not have trust is to be suspicious, inquisitive and skeptical, hence less restricted in relationships between people.
We get so absorbed and suckered into life we start slowly recreating the same realities as others. In almost any situational context, a person of this mentality is very corruptible to the whims and temptations of the community or social/ professional context in which they belong.
To understand this in a modern perspective I advise looking over the prestigious psychologist Philip Zombardo's book; The Lucifer effect. Notice here, the devil is not some red scary creature, rather it is a description of a process that will make it enevitable for 'good' people to become 'evil' people. Maybe you are familiar with the Stanford prison experiments . In Islam we call this 'waswasa' (remember the last Sura of the Quran).
Trust the devil and ye shall fall.
This is the one continuous lesson that forever any calling to God swt has asked to heed, and what the ignorant dismiss as a fantasy. Their ignorance and absolute belief in individual senses is as equally pernicious of human lives as the previous. They cannot see 'one' so they need not even consider the meaning!!
All groups are made up of aggregates of peoples.. but NOT equal aggregates. Rather aggregates of diverse personal qualities, skills, and abilities. A non-liniear spectrum of existence. An existence based on compliemntarity, not conflict.
So naturally a free society will allow leader to rise in their respective fields, and be conducive to productive competition. But while the production of leaders is natural, the production of Hierarchy is cultural.
Hierarchy is anti to freedom. It is a vertical relationship of superiority and inferiority. Freedom= Equality plus Justice.
If you think of the communal view, you will naturally have a hierarchical relationship between people and their leaders, because people will never be 'equal'.
In this story, it is the law of the shepherd and his sheep. 'Muslims' these days also have some form of shepherd sheep anology.. but it's a lil strange.
There is a Hadith said to b narrated by the prophet and carried in Islamic tradition which says: you are all shepereds, and all of you shepherds have responsibility to your sheep;..
we are ALL shepherds???
This is said differently by an old Taoist proverb which I posted in my blog some time back, and which I am now happy to elaborate on as I promised the commentators I would maybe. Sometime :
What is the good man but a bad man's teacher.
What is a bad man but a good man's resource.
Not to value the teacher,
Not to love the resource,
Causes great confusion even for wisest.
And it causes great confusion for the wisest indeed.
How difficult is it for the 'good' man to refrain from the temptation of loving and therefore manipulating and using the resource for their own ego?
How difficult is it for the 'bad' man to refrain from the temptation to idolizing their 'teacher'.. whom they look to for guidance, and imitating them for their own ego?
Very difficult indeed.
The 'worst' men in society are usually the ones always regarded by their society as the 'wisest'. The institutionalized and well-beaten-into-conformity 'experts'. By 'worst', I'm not saying they smell.
I'm saying they are those whose hands are covered in the blood and injustices of the many, while being completely aware of it, yet dismiss it. Text book definition of cowardice.
If you really wanted to understand the logic of this in depth, Please go to the relevant Dialogue in Plato's republic, in which Socrates defeats the sophist Lesser Happias and shows him that best and wisest men in society are also the worst, most corrupt and evil men in society. This is simply because they are the 'best' at what they do. The logic is fascinating. The dialogue is called, helpfully, Lesser Happias :).
The result of this dynamic being that always the 'cowardice' of the few, in whom 'trust' is placed perpetuates the ignorance of the many. In one, conformity is voluntary, for the many, mostly its involuntary.
And this my dear sister is how I think it is.
And God knows best,
Salam
ibee.. salam sis.. I made some modifications :) .. its on my post.. i just need to collect these thoughts before I lose them everywhere and become hard to collect lol :)
Salam Mani,
Thanks for your recent post. I'm currently processing my thoughts and will soon post a comment, inshallah.
Do you sometimes feel the thoughts spinning in your head faster than you can get them out, thus causing a traffic jam so to speak? :o)
It seems these things happen to me when something stimulates my brain into a magnificent frenzy.
Fantastic post Ibeebarbie, I really enjoyed reading it & reading all the comments as well.
My blog to me is more of a "blog away from Life" lol.. An opportunity for me to escape from my serious life into something carefree and relaxing. Kind of like stepping into The Sound Of Music :p if I can use that comparison :) .. I actually started blogging to release stress and tension after a long day at work. I know my blog is full of silly nonsense but I puposely avoid being serious and avoid depressing topics.
:)
Lebeeya.. believe me.. Keep doing what you are doing.. you dont know how much good your writing is doing for the rest of us! :)
Salam sis
Salam Lebeeya,
Thanks for taking the time to stop by, read and post a comment for the compiling of what may turn into either a novel or self-help book post. :o).
I really enjoy visiting your blog. There seems to be a beautiful collection of earnest thoughts, silliness, and perhaps even some noted sarcasm that I take pleasure in most.
hey barbie?
thanks for your sincere thoughts
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off-topic
barbie?
please go and see what Leebeya said to happy moi
quick please lol
thanks ibee.. the last thing I really wanted to be doing was pondering this deep.. this close to a life changing move to Libya... tsk tsk.. :)
You will deffo see a changed man.. or a child :)..
salam sis
Salam Mani,
It's kind of hard not too when you are passionate about something, right? :)
yes ibee.. very right.. :)
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