Random Thoughts, Part 8
Posted: Monday, February 15, 2010
by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy
On Random Thoughts
Some random thoughts are like little pieces of light. They flit through my mind at the speed of ... well, light and are gone again in a flash. Sometimes I wonder to myself just where the heck they came from and more importantly, WHY.
Others come and stick around for a while. They are more like mud I pick up on my shoes. I'm not really sure where it came from, but it's really hard to get rid of and weighs me down. While these thoughts start out seemingly random, I think the only real randomness to them is their first occurrence and maybe they should be more aptly titled Recurrent Thoughts. I've been having quite a lot of the latter lately. Usually, I try to keep my Random Thoughts articles on the light side and hope that they are amusing. WARNING: this one may not be that way.
Ever since Bruce Horst asked his question about ends justifying means in the Question and Answer feature of SearchWarp, the topic has been popping into my head more than just about anything else. It drops by, unexpectedly, at the oddest of moments with little regard for what I might be trying to do. I'd like to put it to rest.
When I mentioned the question and the lively conversation that it inspired to my husband, Bernd, he said he thought there were occasions when the end might justify the means. I'm just not so sure. I still maintain that by coming to a stipulated good end by bad means, you tarnish the goodness of the end. Some of that bad can not help but rub off, especially on the person perpetrating the bad means. But then there is the question of killing or harming someone in defense of your own health and life. And that one gave me a lot to think about.
If I had to choose between someone else's life and my own, I've no doubt that I would choose mine. But I also fervently believe that harming others and the taking of lives is wrong ... just plain old wrong with no mitigation. So were I to ever be in the position of having to take a life to preserve mine, I would do it but I believe I would feel very badly about it and not be able to ever think of myself in the same way again. I would have done a very bad thing, no matter what the end might say. I very strongly hope that I never have to do such a thing. There now, maybe I can get on with my life. Or maybe not.
When I was in seventh grade, I was asked to usher at the eighth grade commencement ceremonies. I was told there was a dress code and that we should dress as if we were going to church or Sunday school. I had been bothering my parents to buy me a pair of high-heeled shoes. They would not. I lied to them and told them it was part of the dress code. I really, really, really wanted my first pair of heels. They relented and bought me a pair of heels. They were not really very high, but the heels of the shoes were very small in diameter where they met the ground. I'm sure they knew the truth of the situation and chose to ignore it and never called me to task about it. But I have never forgotten the lie. I achieved my desired end, but at what cost?
Competition
With the Winter Olympics currently going on in Vancouver , my mind slips back to this topic quite frequently as well. I covered it a while back in another article, but just can't seem to let it lie.
Why do we find it so necessary to constantly compare ourselves to others in order to determine who is prettier, faster, smarter, more successful, and all the rest? I think that the sporting events that I like the most are the ones that seem more like performances. To my mind, there really is no point to sliding down a mountain as fast as you can unless someone is keeping track of how quickly you did it and comparing it to all the others who did it.
If you really enjoy hurtling down a mountain side in a little tiny sled with a top speed approaching 90 miles an hour, risking life and limb just for the thrill of it, well then hop on that sled and do the luge. But really, what does it matter how you rank in the luge world if you enjoy doing it? Why should it matter who is fastest?
I enjoy watching figure skating and ice dancing. I want all the participants to do well only so that they may feel good about their performance. I try to ignore the scoring as much as possible. Does it really matter who is best or most flawless if the audience enjoys watching and the performers enjoy performing? I may never manage to put this one to rest because questioning the necessity of competition renders so much of what we do apparently meaningless.
I am about to ride in my first horse show. I've been riding for nearly a year now and still don't feel ready. I will be riding in a simple walk/trot equitation. What that means is that I will be in the arena with a lot of other riders on their horses. A judge will call out commands and we will all comply. Ultimately, the point is to see who can do this the best. Ribbons are awarded for the places and points are accrued for the entire year of competition. Aside from my trouble with performance anxiety, I have a philosophical problem with the whole concept. It wasn't until the horse's owner said to me that the horse I ride is old (he is 25 years old, but doesn't look a day over 15) and that he loves to compete. The constant training and competing is what helps to keep him young and fit and would I please do it for him. She is currently bringing another horse up through the ranks and can not spend the time with the horse that I ride that he needs. How could I resist that?
So this reformed competitor (I was very competitive as a child and like a reformed smoker who just absolutely can not stand the smell of cigarette smoke, I have a real problem with competition), is going to compete (not just once a couple of weeks from now, but all year long) and somehow has to come to terms with it. I try to hold the thought that I am doing it for my horse's health and happiness and not for me, but it is thin help. I know I will never put this one to rest.
Things I have Learned
Some questions can never be answered.
If you can learn to live with doubt and uncertainty, you will be much happier.
Competitiveness might be okay if egos weren't involved.
I think way too much.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)“As long as competition doesn't mean abandoning your humanity, competition is fine. However, it should not be at the expense of your humanity, of the humane qualities of virtue and compassion. You can still compete, you can still strive, but not at the expense of these qualities, because ultimately these are more important. They are your true inheritance. Whether you succeed in getting that business deal or not, whether you make that $100,000 or not, whether you get that new car ten thousand dollars cheaper or not, seems so important in the short term. Ten thousand dollars is a lot of money, but if you have to do that at the expense of your humanity, your moral principles, your virtue and your compassion, it's not worth it, because you'll have to leave the money behind sooner or later - perhaps sooner than you expect. Your only inheritance is the quality of your mind.” (Ajahn Jagaro)Hi e.This quote seems to fall right in line with my thinking on the two subjects (ends and competition). I've never really thought of it as my "humanity," but more as my moral and ethical nature. But I get the point.Thanks for sharing and for reading and commenting.Hugs,Dianne
Good article and thought provoking as always. I believe our character is the most important part of our life. Thanks for sharing.Hi Linda.Character is a biggee, that's for sure. I think having good character is what lets us feel good about ourselves.Thanks for reading and commenting.Dianne
Very well-done and thought-provoking. Competition is overrated for the wrong reasons, and you've hit on that well: I mean, is there really any point in being the fastest luge down a hill? Really?Thanks for sharing.Hi Michael.That's what I keep wondering. It seems pointless, really. And with my first horse riding competition coming up, I wonder about it a lot. Bernd says I should just do it for fun. He's right. So my "mantra" for the next couple weeks will be "just have fun."Thanks for reading and commenting,Hugs,Dianne
Thank you Dianne. Actually reading your articles seem to help free my mind up and allows me to concentrate better.Many Blessing
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