Satisfactory

 

On Page 67 of his book, The Passionate State of Mind, Eric Hoffer has two entries, which I quote and then will comment on.

 

Hoffer : “         112

 

By discovering our own blemishes in others we as it were assert our kinship with others. Malice is thus a social faculty.”

 

My response: We are social creatures in mostly a negative way. We deal with our own blemishes by immediately pointing out the same blemishes, sins and mistakes committed by or neighbors, and those transgressions against God, nature, oneself, and others do exist both in us and the one’s we allude to. It is very satisfying to reveal faults in others. Such referential tactics of distraction and diversion take the limelight off our ourselves, so we can allow our conscience to go back to sleep, canceling reluctant personal commitment to making any substantive improvements in personal  character.

 

But mostly, we are not and should not be our brother’s keeper. We can keep plenty busy cleaning up our homegrown messes.

 

Each neighbor can and should address his own issues, should he desire to improve himself.

 

Hoffer:             113

 

The pleasure we derive in doing favors is partly in the feeling that it gives us that we are not altogether worthless. It is a pleasant surprise to ourselves.”

 

My response: Hoffer often seems cynical, not thinking much of humans, but it is more that he is seeking to awaken the audience from its complacent slumbers.

 

If we are loving most of the time, towards the Good Spirits, ourselves, and others, we would feel more worthy and less worthless and sinful, as is our natural state. If we are kind and holy, and maverize, then we might often or mostly feel that we can rightly esteem ourselves. Our self-estimation is accurate, realistic and reassuring.