I have noticed that an interesting disparity exists between how we treat ourselves and how we treat others, and that our society holds a double standard in regards to this.
We have rules, regulations and customs governing our conduct in society which prescribe and instruct us on how to interact with other people, which tell us what is and what is not acceptable social behaviour.
Yet there seems to be no social contract and no established set of morals that are concerned with how we treat ourselves. Morals, ethics and laws seem to only cover interpersonal relationships. Sure, the society becomes concerned if you harm yourself on a physical level, yet it is completely indifferent to the way your mind assaults and violates you.
Seemingly we live in an orderly and law-abiding society which we all pride ourselves on, yet in our inner world, no laws or boundaries are sacred. The things that you would never do to other people you do freely to yourself and if you did treat other people this way, you would be censured, punished or ostracised by the society.
With inner attacks, it seems that anything goes for they are not seen by other people and so are immune from their judgements and condemnations. Because they are inwardly directed, these acts of violence are free from the moral bounds that constrain our actions towards other people.
Also, because these attacks occur on the inner level, society doesn't take them very seriously. The very language that it uses to describe inner aggression, such as for example: "Stop being neurotic and pull yourself together. You are being self-indulgent and navel-gazing, while other people in the world are having real problems and undergoing real suffering. Snap out of it!" reflects the dismissive and belittling attitude that society holds towards the self-abuse that the mind inflicts upon you.
The other salient difference between outer and inner aggression is that while in the outer world you can get help from others or the law against attacks, in the inner world it is entirely up to you to protect yourself against the mind. Certainly, you can get advice from others about the various defence strategies that you could employ but ultimately you are all alone on the battlefield and it is a fight between just you and the mind.
<hr>
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 5
Most of us are aware of these laws, however it is more likely that a person will keep these thoughts to themselves because of those laws.
Society dictates in its own way as you say here what is acceptable and what is not. We are brainwashed, so to speak, into believing that we are wrong for how we feel.
"The very language that it uses to describe inner aggression, such as for example: "Stop being neurotic and pull yourself together. You are being self-indulgent and navel-gazing, while other people in the world are having real problems and undergoing real suffering. Snap out of it!" reflects the dismissive and belittling attitude that society holds towards the self-abuse that the mind inflicts upon you."
So this creates more war inside of us and in our individual "battlefields".
Where do we turn, I ask? Where to we turn for help with inward battles without being labeled, alienated, or locked up?
Interesting article, Boris.
I read this on a completely different level as in the struggle within ones soul and mind and heart. I saw it as the crucifixions we daily provide ourselves over nothing causing us illness, anxiety, depression, heart attack, stroke, impotence and eventually, death.
Every single day people wake up and start thinking and then the rest is muddled and blurry.
I have been there, I am there, I hope to, unfortunately, always be there for it shows I am at least THINKING.
Only the meek treat themselves in this manner and their sensitivy enhances thus treatment to self. I am sure others do this to themselves as well, we just happen to write about it instead of whine about it.
Only laws to govern ouselves lie within, The toughest judge of them all.
And some, sadly, like to dwell in misery...Indeed, we are our harshest judge