humanity

This should go without saying, but a reminder can’t hurt: Don’t take “news” stories on their face. Examine critically. It’s a good brain exercise, as well as a needed and healthy self-defense mechanism for the mind. Consider sourcing, context, possible agendas, motivations, angles, and as appropriate, what’s not said about a story. This includes unstated aspects regarding the subject(s) of a story, in context of who they are, how they live, and past statements and actions. It’s easier to do for stories promoting themes you don’t like, but should be done for those with which you agree as well.

I’ll offer one recent example among countless many possibilities. A few critical thoughts on Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s criticism of European response to Koran burning…

* As for the subject of Maduro’s ire: I personally don’t approve of Koran burning and won’t be doing so — not because I’m afraid of anyone or anything, but because I see no productive point in it. The thought of doing so really hasn’t occurred to me, much as I have condemned many aspects of radical Islamism taken straight from the Koran’s most hideous teachings and violent verses.

* Freedom of expression and religion are duly and rightly codified in the very first amendment to my nation’s Constitution. As a staunch proponent of liberty, I ardently support and agree with the First Amendment in its literal, black and white words. That includes the freedom to write everything I write here today. I personally don’t approve Koran burning, but I support the freedom of others to do so as a means of expression. Same goes for Bible burning (my own good book!), which I intensely oppose morally, but which is a protected means of expression for some. I personally don’t approve of much of the Koran itself, but I support the freedom of others to express and worship from it peacefully, whenever and wherever they wish. I personally don’t approve of much of what the Left endorses, nor statements of truly racist people on either end of the sociopolitical spectrum, but I support all their freedom to make awful statements. [As I often write: The First Amendment doesn’t say “except” or “unless”! Expressions of leftism or racism, much as I detest both, are, and should be, Constitutionally protected.] I also expect to exercise my freedom of expression without governmental restraint: to approve or disapprove of anything…to oppose parts of the Koran, to attack leftism and collectivism as I often do, and to discuss freely anyone’s statements or other behavior regarding any topic. Maduro’s endorsement of governmental restrictions on expression fly in the face of the ideals of liberty, so I oppose them. Were he a U.S. citizen, Maduro would be fully, legally entitled to his expressions, as I would be equally to rebuke them.

* This specific story is common in headlines from sources such as Sputnik, Tass, RT, and others known to be sympathetic to socialist and communist regimes. I won’t click on a TASS, RT or Sputnik link, or any other state-controlled media like Xinhua or People’s Daily, nor offer one to you, in case it delivers malware or trackers. I recommend you avoid them too if digging further into this specific story. But I have read of Maduro’s quotes elsewhere.

* Critical thought is…critical! It starts not with the story, but the source. One question I often ask is, “Why is this medium pushing this story?” From the outside looking in, it’s pretty easy to see (for example) TASS or Al Jazeera selectively publicizing this for propagandistic manipulation. Those or Xinhua aren’t alone, mind you; most modern media, including right here in the USA, have descended into this practice. I grew up in the inner city and learned to watch or shield my back habitually. Unfortunately, we now have to do so mentally with media stories.

* On the face, and taken alone in a rigidly impermeable silo with no context at all, he makes a compelling point. After all, what good comes from burning another religion’s good book, even if you don’t agree with it? However, as I often say, “Consider the source.” Maduro, like many famous populist leaders selectively wielding their stated faith for rhetorical leverage, acts purer than he is, in terms of living it out. [This reminds me of bible-holding Trump for one evening with his military accompaniment to the DC church, or Biden and Pelosi supporting mass abortion while claiming the mantle of Catholicism for the sake of public show. Using their good books as publicity devices without living by them!] The thoroughly devastating results of Maduro’s and his beloved mentor/predecessor’s programs in Venezuela bear it out. He ought to take the plank out of his own eye before dealing with the speck in another’s. That’s Biblical. Live it more than talk it.

* He criticized Koran burning by “racist sectors”. What didn’t he say? For one, that the public Koran burning was done by a native Iraqi, Salwan Momika, who immigrated to Sweden. Hardly “racism”! The burner has been labeled Christian but described himself on social media as “atheist and enlightened politician, thinker and author”.

* Maduro allied with Iran for economic reasons. He is pandering to extreme Muslims here. I doubt that’s coincidental. I wonder when Maduro will discuss the modern torture, summary executions and vigilante-style killings of hostages, “apostates” and “heretics” in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, or throwing homosexuals off buildings in Iraq, Syria and Libya, or the gang rape, torture and murder of Christians in parts of North Africa. Considering his regime’s own brutalization of dissidents, I won’t hold my breath waiting.

* Maduro the “Christian”…his being one of the most notorious human-rights abusers around today, with his Helicoide political prison and “The Tomb” torture center, it’s an understatement to say his actions make me skeptical about his alleged “Christianity”. Still, only God can judge for sure. Nobody is perfect. All sin. All will have to answer for themselves at Judgment Day. “All” includes me. And yes, we’re all created different but equal in God’s eye. God loves Nicolas Maduro and wishes to grant him salvation and forgiveness, even as evil as his practices have been. The same can be said for each of us, and anyone engaging in behavior you or I (or even God Himself) don’t approve of. That’s Biblical.

* With those due caveats stated: Still, in a pragmatic sense, the errors and sins of people in positions of high power have greater consequences for society as a whole than those of the average guy waiting on the corner of Commerce and Akard for a bus home. Therefore, the powerful should be held to expectations commensurate with their positions and influence, and yes, that means higher performance standards than you or me. It’s their intrinsic duty to live up to a loftier standard for what they do and say than the downtown bus passenger, by virtue of far vaster consequences. With greater power comes greater responsibility.

* His results at home belie his preaching about yahoos burning Korans somewhere thousands of miles away, an item totally irrelevant to his duties. It strikes me as a purposeful distraction tactic as well as pandering. He’s misguided, but not stupid…kill two birds with one stone (or statement, in this case).

Other critical thoughts certainly are possible, but those are some immediate examples, arising from just one little story that the great majority of Americans will miss completely.

I’ve often heard of the “goodness of humanity”, as if this is congenital and dominant in our natures. Really? I say that’s a bunch of Utopian crap–a delusional, insular, Pollyanna, head-in-sand worldview that ignores blatantly obvious reality.

There’s a reason toddlers in the sandbox take more than give. We have to learn civilized behavior. Some never do, at least to legal or tolerable levels; the rest of us learn, but choose to ignore the lessons when convenient.

It’s this simple: If humanity were fundamentally good, we wouldn’t have to be taught how to behave! We would just be benevolent, kind and loving, instinctively. Alternatively, if we need to be taught specific methods to express that “innate goodness”, individuals wouldn’t revert to barbaric, selfish, greedy, violent, shortsighted, lazy basis that resides in us all.

My temptation here is to call our behavior animalistic, but that does great injustice to most animals I’ve known. Are there good people? You bet, but fundamentally, we as a civilization suck at morals and ethics.

Furthermore, if humanity fundamentally were good, if we truly lived the ethics of excellence, service, integrity, self-restraint, and delayed gratification, then these things would not happen:

Ruminate on those a bit. Read, then re-read. Let those sink in. Then consider that it’s just a tiny, tiny fraction of the real world, and just over the last few months of time. Most crimes, for example, are never prosecuted; most bad deeds by friends, neighbors, co-workers, relatives never make headlines. It can be depressing if you let it. I choose not to, because we have free choice in both our behavior and our attitudes.

The purpose of this is not to offer specific solutions to all of humanity’s problems. That’s too large of an endeavor, obviously, just by the tip-of-iceberg sampling represented above. I’ve offered some solutions throughout the history of this BLOG, and periodically will propose more…but never could cover them all. No, instead, the point of this entry is simple and straightforward–to hit you with reality and reject the notion that “human nature” is basically good. What you do with that reality is, of course, your choice.

Can people do good and great things in spite of their fundamental self-centeredness? Absolutely! Indeed, most of us do. For example, many of us who are parents sacrifice time, money, and effort for our kids because we love them and care about their well-being. Our soldiers, sailors and airmen enlisted voluntarily and make great sacrifice to serve our country. Individually, we’re there for our best friends, and so on. Unless you are sociopathic, you can and have done some commendable good for people. This is not an indictment of the right things you or I have done–but instead, an acknowledgment of the evil around us (and to at least a small extent, in all of us).

Most folks lead double lives, balancing their sinful and generous sides–sometimes within the same minute. Have you ever abused anyone, anytime, verbally or physically, for any reason? Then you acted with deliberate malice toward another. Have you used addicting substances, then told a child or friend not to? Then you hold a double standard. Have you advocated a sociopolitical position beneficial to your self-interest but detrimental in some way to others (taxpayers)? Then you are putting self above country. Have you criticized greedy bankers and/or governmental profligacy while racking up discretionary credit-card debts or otherwise mismanaging your own personal finances? Then you’re just spouting cheap, hollow talk and not living according to your own rules.

Have you told a “little white lie” or pretended not to be displeased, just to spare someone “hurt feelings”? Then you have committed dishonesty, regardless of the motivation. Maybe you rationalize that lie as the lesser of two evils. Well, guess what: even the lesser of evils is still evil! To me, relativism doesn’t excuse wrongdoing. I’m sure many of the people involved in those events above similarly would rationalize, if on grander scales. “I only beat up one little wimp for his money…I could have killed him instead!”

History has countless examples of greatness over evil. Some people have performed tremendously beneficial and good acts, regardless of their imperfections. Famously benevolent figures such as Lincoln, M.L. King, and Mother Teresa–all of whom would freely admit they were far from pure even in their uncommon service to others–come to most folks’ minds straightaway. Obviously, for us Christians, Jesus represents the ultimate example of this, as the only sin-free human, knowing he was eternally blessed but nonetheless laying his physical life on the line in an agonizing manner for the sake of all who wish to experience the ultimate glory of God, eternally. That’s a free choice, of course.

Free will is what we have. Most of us (including yours truly) have done some dumb things with that, just not dumb enough to have been killed or jailed. Those whose deeds led to the headlines above took it to egregious extremes and did not get away.

Let me be clear on this: I am far from perfect. I don’t hold others to higher standards for behavior or effort than myself. That’s the essence of the Golden Rule, remember? However, nobody is harder on me than I am; and my standards are high. I demand excellence and integrity from myself first, then from others, knowing perfection isn’t possible and I sometimes screw up and fail to deliver the goods sufficiently.

When I call out somebody–or society at large–remember, it is rooted in the very same expectations I have for myself…nothing more. It is most certainly not “passing judgment”, it is demanding high standards and holding people accountable. If you don’t know the difference, learn the difference. Accountability is the enforcement arm of integrity. In oneself, accountability is known as “conscience”.

Make a mistake? Okay, we all do sometimes. Do something about it! Get up, dust off, admit and atone for the error, then learn from it so you will not choose to make it happen again. [And yes, mistakes are chosen!] Don’t act like you’re entitled. Humble yourself in genuine remorse before those you’ve wronged (most of all, before God, if you are religious, as nothing is hidden from Him).

Finally, consider again that if everybody were to demand excellence, service, integrity, self-restraint and delayed gratification from themselves, then much of humanity’s problems would be minimal, and the headlines above would not happen! The only thing holding civilization together is the collective mass of still-imperfect individuals who do have such expectations, first of self, then of their children, friends, and associates. That mass seems to be shrinking in influence…

Reality is that humanity is and will remain fundamentally selfish, and as such, the greatest and only eternal answer is outside ourselves. In the face of the pervasive wrongness all around, and sometimes within, there is hope…and it’s not in our own natures.

Critical Thinking as Applied to an Overseas News Item

The Myth of the Goodness of Humanity