NUMBER 28 Judgmental = Honorable??

It is very difficult to avoid being judgmental primarily because each of us tend to think that we are a little smarter than the average bear. We normally think that in spite of our failures we are pretty wise if we will only take a moment to consider the facts before we act.

I must admit that I find myself being judgmental from time to time, then I find myself taking a few steps back to re-access my attitude. We all are subject to the pleasure principle in that we all gravitate toward those things that please us most, and the things that diminish those pleasures we tend to eradicate them or flee from them.

I often find myself asking if it is possible that I might someday walk in the shoes of the person I just judged. Is it within me to murder, to rob someone or to rape someone? If not, is it because of my superior genes or is it because I was fortunate enough to have been taught better principles from childhood?

I ask whether I might commit these crimes if there were no laws governing the conduct of men. Would my pleasure principle become stronger and stronger to the point that I would do anything within my powers to have those things that I desire?

Am I truly a monster that has been taught from birth and conditioned to respect the rules of society for my own good, that if I cross the lines too many times I will suffer the consequences? After all, my pleasure principle tells me somehow that I must keep my passion for pleasure in check or I will experience much suffering. Is this a sign of my goodness or is it my selfish sense of survival?

Do you ever ask yourself questions such as these trying to analyze your nature and how it relates to your tendency to judge others? Do you feel as though you are superior to those that seem to be social misfits, and that this superior position justifies your right to judge?

Could it be that we should try to see these social misfits as a great universal school for us to observe, and learn what not to do?

Should we have compassion for them when they get caught up in the snares of this world? We all must know that we are governed in varying degrees by this powerful pleasure principle, and we also are aware that many poor souls are lacking the capacity to resist this powerful force of pleasure. I doubt that anyone ever had to ask for this powerful force that resides in all of us.

Sometimes pleasure is so powerful that you can't separate from it, not even with the help of others. I believe that we all are shackled by the chains of some pleasurable thing in this world. Most of us are so very fortunate that our bondage to a pleasure is accepted by society or is not illegal.

I do believe that some of these unfortunate souls cannot be helped by society and therefore must be incarcerated and kept out of society but they should not be mistreated. They are only what they can be, just as you are all that you can be.

We tend to think they could have made better choices but truly I don't think they could.


Finton