Man's Ability to Rationalize - An Incongruent Life
Once, coming to market, a peasant saw a scrawny little parrot weighing 1/2 pound that was offered for sale for the exorbitant sum of 20 rubles.
The next day, the peasant brought his pet turkey and listed it for 100 rubles! People ridiculed his price for the turkey, which usually sells for only 5 rubles. The peasant argued that the parrot has less meat than his turkey and yet costs 20 rubles.
"How can you compare them?" People asked. "The parrot can speak! How could he ask for so much money? What does his turkey do that would demand 100 rubles?"
"Ah", the peasant replied, "but my turkey thinks!"
I don't worry about peasant logic and rationale. I worry about the logic and rationale of important people. I worry about those people that have a influence on the minds of the American people.
Lately we have been blessed with many intriguing stories about people. They range from the great and the mighty to the fallen. For each story there is an explanation, a rationale, that completely eludes my way of thinking. I am wondering if it is only me. What am I missing?
Let me explain my dilemma with the following three observations.
In the April 21 issue of Time magazine there was a feature story called, The Most Influential People in America, 1997. One of the people picked was the famed new age healer, Dr. Andrew Weil. This well-known physician and author wrote "Spontaneous Healing and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health." He has a new book on alternative medicine and food. In it he explains the power of curative herbs and ways to build a great immune system. All this is to be coupled with a time for relaxing in a steam bath or sauna to be used regularly. He writes, "Spend more time with people who make you feel alive; reach out to someone from whom youre estranged." This sounds almost too good to be true. I soon found out that his prescription for a healthy and happy life doesn't work.
It now has been reported that the good doctor has agreed to end his marriage to Sabine Kremp. "Running this empire has been tough", says Sabine. It seems that Dr. Weil is off to his lectures and PBS shows. I wonder where his quality of life fits. Why can't there be time for marriage?
There must be a prescription that not only makes people healthy but keeps relationships healthy.
Kay Redfield Jamison, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, wrote an extraordinary memoir, "An Unquiet Mind". It's the story of how Kay deals with manic depression. The book, a great seller, is a wonderful testimonial of overcoming odds. We are given the inside of a person who is dealing with personal mental Illness. Throughout the book she tells of the fear of not coping as she perseveres with demons. I have the greatest respect for her.
What I find very frightening is that in her debilitating condition she regularly oversaw interns and directed mental health programs. All of this was done while she wrestled her demons. How was she in a position of leadership and at the same time out of control? This is something I don't understand. When someone is out of control they are not a rational person. I loved her book but question her ability to practice medicine.
Mr. Gary Kasparov, the famed Russian chess genius really threw me for a loop. In accepting a challenge from IBM to play a super computer, Deep Blue, he was going to prove, conclusively, that one super human can beat anything. Lo and behold, after six games he loses. Now he blames the defeat on Deep Blues cheating and that it didn't play fair! He suggests that Deep Blue was coached during the match and that he really played humans and a machine at the same time! Now the 34 year old Kasparov tells everyone that he will challenge the machine and really can beat the machine.
Why can't this man accept defeat? Why does he need to look for excuses and blame failure on cheating? What's wrong with losing to a machine? Why does man need a rationale for losing?
(On the other hand, since when does the game of chess become the criteria for human intelligence? Maybe IBM can make a new computer calling it, Deep Personality, that will show pity, compassion, understanding and feelings for human suffering. Then, challenge man to call forth powers of caring that would beat such a machine. )
In the above three examples we see how man can rationalize almost anything in a big way.
The only book that I believe has the right logic and rationale is the Bible. It was given to mankind as a gift from G‑d. In it are the words of reason, compassion and ever lasting instruction. It teaches how us to live a decent and happy life. It also has been a best seller for years and been translated in almost every world language. The Bible remains supreme and respected by all religions as the most influential book in human history.
Come to think of it, only the Almighty G‑d, the author, of the Bible has all the intelligence, rationale and compassion possible and thats something no man can challenge.
For the holiday
On Wednesday morning, June 11, Jews worldwide, will celebrate a holiday called Shavuoth. The highlight of the holiday, is the revelation of G‑d when giving the Ten Commandments from heaven. According to Jewish tradition this event happened some 3,309 years ago in the desert on Mt. Sinai.
Whether one believes that the special covenant between G‑d and the Hebrews was passed on to the church, called New Hebrews, or to the Islam religion, The Bible is the basis for the great religions of the world.