Christmas is for the imperfect

     There is nothing overtly religious in Dicken's little book, A Christmas Carol. It is a tale with a theme of redemption. It's a story that recommends human values like brotherhood, love, and charity over crass materialism. These values are universal. They are found in many faiths ,and practiced by many people who practice no particular faith at all. I don't think Dickens slighted the holiday at all when writing his story about the true spirit of Christmas without anything but passing reference to the birth of the figure at the center of the Christian religion. Delving into theology wasn't his intention. For old Scroodge redemption was not about securing a place in heaven, but  realigning his attitude to those around him, making their lives better where he could, opening his heart to their needs, and finding happiness in affection, understanding, and a generous spirit.
    In so many ways the story of Scroodge is even better than the story of the first Christmas as recited by Linus when Charlie Brown asks if anyone knows the true reason for Christmas. Linus quotes movingly from the second chapter of the gospel of Luke. That's a great story, but it leaves out the point Dickens makes; how does one miracle inspire a still greater miracle, the refining of a human heart.
     The story of the birth of Christ as told by Luke is unique and charming. The Christian God is born in a stable, homeless at birth, to a humble family far from the centers of power .He would grow to manhood, but according to Christian theology, he was just as much God then as later in life. That's a remarkable proposal. Only the Christian God of all the gods, of all the pantheons ever imagined appears in this lowliest of forms, appears ,and is worshipped wherever there are Christians, as a helpless baby, the child of impoverished parents, in a dusty Roman backwater.
      Christianity wasn't the first faith to enshrine humility as a virtue. Over the centuries it wasn't always noted for practicing it either. That we in the Western world value humility comes down to the simple story of a baby born in a manger. Our understanding of humility also owes a lot to the religion  Jesus practiced while he lived on Earth, the Jewish religion of his parents. One of the best insights regarding the nature of humility comes from Brazilian Rabbi, Rabino Nilton Bonder, " Many people believe that humility is the opposite of pride, when, in fact it is a point of equilibrium. The opposite of pride is actually a lack of self esteem. A humble person is totally different from a person who cannot recognize and appreciate himself as a part of the world's marvels.".
     I've never admired the level of debasement that some Christians seem to think is required of them and is taught in many of their churches. I get it that you acknowledge your distance from the deity. I understand that all of us are imperfect, and frequently fall short of the mark. I have trouble with people getting stuck on this realization and fetishizing it rather than moving on from there in a more positive direction. The tendency reminds me of the roving bands of penitents of the Middle Ages, wearing sack cloth and whipping their own backs till bleeding. Demonstrations of outlandish humility can only seem impressive to an audience that miss the point of humility in the first place.
     I offer my own definition of humility. I recognize that it lacks both nuance and profundity, but it makes up for all that by being succinct. Humility is the ability to say, I screwed up. This approach  affirms reality. We all screw up. We screw up all the time, and we're wrong about almost everything. Humans are the animal that assumes. We go so far as assuming that assumptions are knowledge itself. That's the worst assumption of all.
        Merry Christmas Telluride. Hope it's not a humble one. There's no reason that a talent for reassessment should stop you from eating a tray of Christmas cookies, a mound of mash potatoes covered in gravy, or spending too much on presents while receiving more than you need. Glut and gluttony are part of the holiday. Some traditions are just too important to be ignored. Excess is America's contribution to the Christmas holiday. Refraining from that is un-American. Anyhow, we already have a holiday for shinning a bright light on our flaws and resolving to get all that taken care of, and it's only a week away. If you're not perfect yet, what can one more week of imperfection hurt? Tomorrow is always the best day for reformation. That's in the bible, or maybe it's in Dickens. You can Google that. My resolution for 2016, is to save you the trouble and do my own fact checking for a change.

Narcissist apocalypse

   Lately I've been intrigued with the topic of narcissism. Maybe it's the current election cycle with its clash of giant egos, the sparring of would be megalomaniacs.? Maybe it's the book I'm reading, Narcissistic Supply, the Drug of Narcissists by Sam Vaknin?  Turns out its author is no psychologist, but his leading credential is that he is himself a narcissist, twice diagnosed by experts. Nevertheless, this book seems rich with insight into the condition, containing plenty of food for thought.
    Narcissism is not a single phenomenon. There is the clinical form, recognized generally as a personality disorder referred to as NPD.  Even that takes many forms. I wish I had the space here to describe them. They are all fascinating. Instead let me offer a simple definition. NPD is extreme self centeredness. It's characterized by an inflated sense of self importance and a deep and overwhelming need for admiration. Lack of empathy is also present. The confident exterior of the narcissist is a false mask. Underlying it is a very fragile sense of self worth that is vulnerable to the slightest criticism. There is also a more general ,less extreme form of narcissism; some call it societal narcissism.
      Narcissists can be found in many settings, but they often gravitate to professions and interests with high attention grabbing potential and access to power. Politics is rife with them, and so are the arts, including show business. Donald Trump fits the profile pretty well. The crucial question to determine if he meets the clinical definition for NPD would be this; does he lack empathy for others? Is he racist, and a misogynist? Does he mock the handicapped for their deformities? All that is helpful but not determinative. It's more important to ask how does he regard those closest to him ? If he uses them as tools, primarily existing to meet his needs, both physical and psychological, then it's a pretty sure bet he is a classic narcissist. I don't know the answer to that question. Others in politics may be equal in scale to his supposed degree of narcissism but are better at hiding it. Trump only differs from this group in his almost complete lack of self awareness and filter, though in fact many will out-perform him in arrogance and lack of empathy.
      A really skilled narcissist may take an entirely different tack and impress others by practicing extreme humility and apparent compassion and altruism, demonstrating willingness to suffer for some higher cause. This is where diagnosing NPD from afar gets really tricky, and also fun. Was St. Francis of Assisi one of the holiest men to ever walk the planet or a charlatan looking for approval and secretly coveting veneration? Was Vincent Van Gogh motivated by his love for beauty ,or a martyr to his own peculiar love for himself and disappointment over rejection? In the end it really doesn't matter. Their achievements were great and long lasting. What should we care if they managed to poison all their closest relationships out of self loathing and the twisted egotism that it spawned.
      Determining societal narcissism is much easier. When a society turns narcissistic it devalues then replaces long held standards for newer ones. Free spending replaces thrift. Modesty is overthrown for conspicuous consumption. Accomplishments are meaningless and empty if they lack the pizzazz to spark envy in others. Building character is replaced by building an impressive reputation. Wisdom takes a back seat to academic credentials. Good looks count for more than a good heart. Aging is associated with decay, and youth is everything. Hedonism is celebrated. Personal responsibility is evaded, and once purely personal prerogatives transferred to an all consuming state. You get the picture.
       When a society turns narcissistic it's often the last to know. Just like a narcissistic individual, part of their condition is that they are incapable of self diagnoses, and will resist the diagnoses when confronted. The narcissist is a master at building defenses around that fragile ego. The narcissistic society is likewise ruthless in suppressing reminders of its own inadequacies. Standard bearers of the old order must not be tolerated. They are not just wrong, they must be evil. They are not just ignorant, they are stupid. They are deniers. They are hateful reactionaries.
        The problem with narcissistic societies is that they are not self sustaining. They are a sure sign of a society or a civilisation on its way downward. The societal values that they place the greatest store in ,when antithetical to established values, undermine them. The values essential to building and sustaining a working society are extinguished and forgotten. The question is, when do we reach that tipping point?

    "And, you know, if you look at world history, whenever people are desperate, when people are lacking food, when people are not able to take care of their families- that's when ideologies arise that are dangerous."   President Obama in interview shown on CBS show This Morning ,Friday, December 4th 2015.
     The president was talking about the relationship between the rise of radical Islam and climate change. I have no doubt he believes this and most of those who have voted for him will shake their heads in ascent at this pearl of wisdom, but it would have been nice to hear a follow up question from Norah O'Donnell when he said it. I don't think that it's asking too much to have heard from Norah something like- " Can you site an example?"
     For the life of me ,I can't think of any. I doubt if he could either. Doubtless there are many examples of famines due to droughts and other unfortunate weather related phenomena causing mass migrations, riots, and other upheavals, but what dangerous ideologies have sprung from hunger? Again, I just can't come up with anything. I challenge anyone to justify his statement.
     What is supremely dangerous is having a president in times like this who doesn't understand the enemy. He's proven in every pronouncement he's made on the subject that he doesn't understand them, is unaware of what motivates them, and doesn't know how to fight them. He'd rather battle domestic foes, namely Republicans in congress. He'd rather make grand gestures and grand speeches in opposition to global warming. Meanwhile the actions he proposes to fight it would be as ineffective and futile as his efforts to " contain " ISIS. If there is any relationship between the battle against Islamic terrorism and climate change it is that alone.