The Depth of Truth
Is truth something that must be able to be proven in a lab? Two of the oldest, most profound pieces of knowledge prove why some types of truths can’t be seen, but that doesn’t take away from their inexhaustible depths.
“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.”
Jesus proclaims this in the Sermon on the Mount, some of the most profound utterances ever recorded in the annals of western civilization. The obvious lesson being, remove temptation from within your grasp before you find yourself depleted of self-control and tragically give in.
In Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses makes a pact with his sailors to tie him to the mast of their ship as they passed the irresistibly seductive screeches of the sirens who they were fast approaching on. This illustrates a similar idea: It is better to restrain oneself now when you are of sober mind then it is to wait for circumstances to arise that will almost certainly overtake you.
Both illustrations are of immense value to us, especially today when we are being constantly being lulled into a cozy, hedonistic, stupor by mainstream culture, and dare I say even the excesses and successes of capitalism. Capitalism has been a resounding success, in comparison to other economic systems. It is the liminal example of a “rising tide raises all boats”, as the rich get richer, the poor get less poor.
As Capitalism has swept the world, gained a foothold and influence even in bastions of communism, and the overflow of wealth that has resulted in more foreign aid being sent out from western countries, poverty has plummeted.
In 1990, 35% of the world was in extreme poverty.
In 2013, the rate was 11%.
It might not even be possible to overstate how good this news is.
On the flip side though, in America and other western countries where the wealth is concentrated, there is an abundance of goods and services that aren’t essential that even those who make minimum wage or just a little above, can afford.
The convenience and freedom that is afforded to us as a result of our massively successful economic system might have negative side effects-too much temptation and unabashed freedom. Too much for the average person to be able to navigate in a responsible way.
The two illustrations also have an underlying lesson, something like “it is better to live with constraints than to be completely unshackled by any responsibility, structure, or limits and find yourself on the edge of destruction.”
This is true though even in the most practical sense. Take a game of chess for example.
If someone sits down at a chessboard and is told, “ok, play the game.” with no prior knowledge of the rules, the person will be unable to play. Without rules or constraints, you’re paralyzed. This sounds oxymoronic, but it’s as true as anything you will ever hear.
The lesson? Embrace constraints. Embrace rules. Commit to a constrained, clearly defined path.
The alternative is paralysis.
