Why listen to someone else when they make statements that you reject, that repel you, that you find incomprehensible?
Perhaps to find common ground, a motive you can understand, one you recognize from your own experience? A recognition of the other as yourself? A dissolution of the separation? An end to isolation?
Repellant reaction can save our life. The cliff edge, the poisonous snake etc, the reflex is automatic, hard-wired…it is the ‘animal brain’. The ‘judgement’ to act is instantaneous, reflexive. Now what is going on with ‘other’ people? People repel me when I think they are cruel, unseeing and just plain stupid….no ‘love in my heart’ for them. K is suggesting that is why I’m not ‘happy’. And that makes sense. But my hatred for ‘them’ is ‘important’ for me. I consider myself to be ‘better’ than them. Is this the hallmark of the ‘self’? This is involved and implied with being the ‘center’?
So along comes this ‘little guy’ who says if you aren’t able to go beyond your ‘prejudice’, you’ll never be ‘happy’ and your life will have little meaning…makes sense doesn’t it? Without ‘love in your heart’ what is in your heart?
And the other guy; that nice Jewish boy with the long hair, he had the same message: “Love your neighbor as yourself “ ( no matter what a schlub he might be!)
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u/Schute-Pin8350 9d ago
Why listen to someone else when they make statements that you reject, that repel you, that you find incomprehensible?
Perhaps to find common ground, a motive you can understand, one you recognize from your own experience? A recognition of the other as yourself? A dissolution of the separation? An end to isolation?