MY RELIGION IS THE PUREST
OUR BOOK IS THE HOLIESTOUR NATION IS THE GREATEST
WE ARE THE BRAVEST
How I wish our world pursued excellence without indulging in the rat race for the #superlative titles! Despite its need in realpolitik, I wonder if this pursuit of title has not done far more harm than good.
When I claim the highest purity for my religion, truth to my book, greatness to my nation or bravery to my people, I am clearly denigrating all others as impure, untrue, small and weak. Or at least less pure, holy, great and brave than me/us.
If I pursue goodness and try to become a shade better [call it better, if you will] tomorrow, I guess I am growing. Isn’t that enough of a yardstick?
As it is, “best” may not be good enough, or even good at all. Seated in a group of robbers the pick-pocket is clearly the best man. But is he a good man, too?
When I seek to be the richest, the most powerful et al, rationally it implies that I will do all I can to prevent others from matching up to me in riches and at power.
So, hidden beneath the apparently positive pursuit of superlatives is a clearly negative agenda of oppression, injustice, unfairness.
Isn’t it time we all pursued goodness in absolute terms rather than bitterness in comparative terms?
Hasn’t civilization matured enough to be able to set criteria for goodness on its own rather than stick to the immaturity of knowing ourselves with reference to what we consider a poorer version from amongst us?
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