What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.
“It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve, and bad things are very easy to get.”
(Confucius)
Wooden horse sculpture, Horniman Circle Gardens, Mumbai.
Hating something seems like hard work to me; it is so draining to maintain. It consumes life and energy. It is however a remarkably effective unifier - as certain political leaders have understood well and exploited to their own ends even in our lifetimes. xxx Mr T and F
Hari OM Actually, hate is a survival mechanism. We call it that intellectually, but the suspicion that founds it comes from our flight or fight hard-wiring. All critters have it. Just think of any wild thing you have been near... the 'hate' keeps them from engaging with anything that might harm them be it something potentially for eating right up to whether to engage with humans or not. Mostly not, because that will end in death. Think how hard it can be to persuade a critter in any way that you have only its best interests at heart and how we have to work at keeping them soft and 'unhateful' - the Love required takes a lot of work from us. Think of any toddler you have known; the first instinct response at that time when personality is developing is anger/hate/violence. The parent has to work hard on them to train Love as the predominant. If the parent isn't focused on that, bullies and tyrants are seeded...We are equipped with 'muscle' in order to rise to the top and survive. Except once society became the main factor in human success, that survival instinct had to find another outlet. Hatred of 'other' and desire to conquer arose...
Then, in daily living, is it not easier to reach for the comfort foods, the addictive things, than it is to take a piece of fruit or veg and drink water? In Sanskrit, there are the words, shreyas and preyas. The first is the path of good which requires discipline and determination, the second is the path of ease, of least resistance. It takes effort to adhere to one's principles and it is so very easy not to bother! Yxx
Like Mr T and F, my own immediate response to this Confucius quote is that hating is hard work and draining. But also that for a group there's no more effective unifier than hatred of a common enemy. I was struck by the comment from a Ukrainian citizen in a city under bombardment this week, that neighbours who previously were engaged in acrimonious disputes over dog poo all of a sudden had become best friends! Cheers, Gail (who is finding new puppy Nobby very easy to love).
Hi Yam - the Wooden Horse sculpture in Mumbai - is fascinating to see - thank you. Life is easier if one turns that thought over ... it is easier to love, and more difficult to hate ... similarly negative v positive ... accept positivity (even in small ways) as much easier all round. Thanks Yam - enjoy being with your visitor/s - cheers Hilary
Indeed YAM I cannot count the number of times I said out loud why is it children pick up all the bad habits of their peers so easily but not the good ones. Hugs Cecilia
Wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteFor sure. namaste, janice xx
ReplyDeleteNever thought of love or hate being easy or hard.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
Hating something seems like hard work to me; it is so draining to maintain. It consumes life and energy. It is however a remarkably effective unifier - as certain political leaders have understood well and exploited to their own ends even in our lifetimes. xxx Mr T and F
ReplyDeleteHari OM
DeleteActually, hate is a survival mechanism. We call it that intellectually, but the suspicion that founds it comes from our flight or fight hard-wiring. All critters have it. Just think of any wild thing you have been near... the 'hate' keeps them from engaging with anything that might harm them be it something potentially for eating right up to whether to engage with humans or not. Mostly not, because that will end in death. Think how hard it can be to persuade a critter in any way that you have only its best interests at heart and how we have to work at keeping them soft and 'unhateful' - the Love required takes a lot of work from us. Think of any toddler you have known; the first instinct response at that time when personality is developing is anger/hate/violence. The parent has to work hard on them to train Love as the predominant. If the parent isn't focused on that, bullies and tyrants are seeded...We are equipped with 'muscle' in order to rise to the top and survive. Except once society became the main factor in human success, that survival instinct had to find another outlet. Hatred of 'other' and desire to conquer arose...
Then, in daily living, is it not easier to reach for the comfort foods, the addictive things, than it is to take a piece of fruit or veg and drink water? In Sanskrit, there are the words, shreyas and preyas. The first is the path of good which requires discipline and determination, the second is the path of ease, of least resistance. It takes effort to adhere to one's principles and it is so very easy not to bother! Yxx
Like Mr T and F, my own immediate response to this Confucius quote is that hating is hard work and draining. But also that for a group there's no more effective unifier than hatred of a common enemy. I was struck by the comment from a Ukrainian citizen in a city under bombardment this week, that neighbours who previously were engaged in acrimonious disputes over dog poo all of a sudden had become best friends!
DeleteCheers, Gail (who is finding new puppy Nobby very easy to love).
Hi Yam - the Wooden Horse sculpture in Mumbai - is fascinating to see - thank you. Life is easier if one turns that thought over ... it is easier to love, and more difficult to hate ... similarly negative v positive ... accept positivity (even in small ways) as much easier all round. Thanks Yam - enjoy being with your visitor/s - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeletethat sculpture is amazing and I like the way you did the photo of it.
ReplyDeleteSo true.
ReplyDeleteIndeed YAM
ReplyDeleteI cannot count the number of times I said out loud why is it children pick up all the bad habits of their peers so easily but not the good ones.
Hugs Cecilia
We think of Ukraine and all peoples living in conflict and send them Love. Lee and Phod
ReplyDeleteA great post. I hope you are well. I am struggling, but I have it easy compared to many.
ReplyDelete