René Descartes’ simple yet profound supposition, “I think, therefore I am,” succinctly expresses the idea that the mind directly influences man’s actions. Yet, he believed that at times the reverse can be true, causing a duality in man that goes against rational thought. Thus, to “govern our passions” is not as simple as thinking through them logically, but rather finding a balance between the two that leads to true knowledge. Whether each alone can realize this same end without regard to the other, and to which is the purest means for attaining it, has been a philosophical dilemma for centuries.
Our lives are filled with a constant tug of war between the heart and the mind. We are told to follow our heart, yet cautioned to look before we leap; equally, in spite of the most irrefutable of facts and analysis, intuition can override such rationality. In such a dynamic, the mind will accept intuitive decisions if it seems the logical course to follow. E.E. Cummings, in his poem "Since Feeling Is First,” makes it clear that emotions are the guiding spirit in our lives rather than the mind. “Since feeling is first,” it reads, “who pays any attention to the syntax of things . . . and kisses are a better fate than wisdom.” In Cummings world, ignorance is bliss when it comes to self-expression – even if it means being wrong.
Personal passions often drive many of today’s issues that need rational, thought-out resolutions. As the facts stare us in the face, our minds can tell us one thing and our hearts the exact opposite. Often, it is an uncertainty as to the proper course to follow, and examples abound equally of decisions made contrary to the way reason points and feeling suggests. Many times, we second-guess our decisions at the time or do it in hindsight whenever there is an underlying uncertainty. It is human nature to do so, just as it is to follow through in spite of such reservations.
Passionate zeal, as an emotional state, is unfortunately only temporary, and typically not reliable in the long-term. The reason for its short-term success is motivation toward immediate action. However, the results generated from such depend greatly on emotional sustenance, as a dispassionate attitude leads only to weak action and mediocrity. It is therefore important to think critically on the issues, while maintaining a passion for them, in order to differentiate between a solid argument and absurdity in the call for action – or lack thereof.
Throughout history, leaders and ordinary citizens alike have made both calculated and emotionally driven decisions, with equal success and failure. The conclusion to be drawn is that logic and emotion working in conjunction is simply the start of the process of understanding rather than the end result. Those who lead may succeed by winning hearts and minds, but genuine leadership comes from a balance between the two that guides a leader in making the tough decisions – especially if it is an unpopular, yet correct, one to follow. This is what faces today’s generation as they look to lead the world into the future.
©2007 Steve Sagarra
With concerns about germs and disease, why are bath & body poofs (yes, I used the word "poof") typically in an open bin without any individual protective covering on them? This is something used for cleansing, yet they are vulnerable to sneezes, grimy hands and all sorts of vileness from other shoppers. And unless you do self-checkout, it gets even worse – a conveyor belt potentially ripe with a bouquet of grossness and a cashier fondling your shower accessory with the deftness of a monkey shitting themselves.
The other night while taking a late-evening stroll, I noticed a Walgreens shopping cart sitting in the grass on a hillside. The Walgreens is a block up the road. I wondered how the cart got there, picturing either a person who at first needed it to walk their groceries home deciding otherwise or clandestine cart races at midnight. It evoked a conversation a few weeks ago with Blake, the Walgreens clerk on the night shift.
The cash register drawer stuck. He made an idle comment about it doing the same during a robbery. Only half listening, counting out my money, I did a double take. Turned out a few years past, someone robbed the store during the night shift. Sometimes if I'm bored or can't sleep I'll walk to the Walgreens, being that it is just up the street and 24-hours. I'll perhaps buy a Yoo-hoo or something significantly unneeded. However, I find my late-night "exercise" curbed since that chat.
My point? Like the poofs, we're all vulnerable. It's just a matter of limiting, or even thwarting, the chances for its occurrence.
©2007 Steve Sagarra
Do I wish there was no such thing as war, poverty, or disease? No terrorists, illegals, or unborns? Of course I wish that mankind never knew such things. If all it really did take was a Coke and a smile to make all the world's problems go away, I'd buy Coca-Cola and Hallmark and hand them out. Do I cringe every time another multi-billion dollar space mission investigating how algae reacts to space conditions fails, while people cannot even afford food, gas, or proper healthcare? Yes, I do. It is absolutely ridiculous what we will and will not do, fix and not fix, and invest and not invest.
What is the alternative though? Allow the terrorists and their sponsors to wage war unchecked, let illegals stream across our sovereign borders to take jobs away, and spend billions on the welfare state for people who would rather sit on their asses collecting a check instead of working the jobs the illegals take? I wish it really did take a Coke and a smile. But that is not realistic. The problems will not go away simply by ignoring them, and in most cases especially if we do – they will only get worse.
The difficulty is being human, one's worldview of humanity and what is necessary to confront the problems facing us. I wish it really did just take a Coke and a smile. Then maybe all our energies could go toward bettering humanity, rather than trying our best to destroy it.
©2007 Steve Sagarra
