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A series of Questions for Robert from a Pesty Questionier VI
PQ: Why do so many people seem to dislike you?
R: That’s an excellent question, better addressed to those good people who seem to, and perhaps even do, dislike me.
Let us assume that each of us has a possible trajectory in this life.
This requires that we see our path in life, and decide to take it.
To follow our own, unique, trajectory requires that we resist all external influences, forces and agencies, that would seek to re-direct and prevent us from staying the course.
This implies that external forces / agencies benefit, in some way, from us deviating from our direction.
An inevitable result, of staying on our individual trajectory, is that all those agents who have sought to re-direct and block this course, will be pissed.
The primary question is then, how to deal with the criticism, attacks and pressure, which will be applied. This is now a practical question, and may be addressed in practical terms. And a question for anyone who follows their own, unique trajectory.
PQ: How do you deal with the criticisms and nastiness?
R: I accept the humiliation.
PQ: I don’t get that.
R: It is a subtlety. But very much not something to be approached / engaged unless we have a mature practice. Then, it becomes a necessary part of moving forward in service of our aim.
PQ: Now I really don’t get this.
R: Unless you have an active practice, you won’t. Otherwise, you might file it under “kick psychology” in Transactional Analysis – a way of attracting “bad” attention if you aren’t getting “good” attention.
What is being humiliated?
PQ: Go on…
R: In my office cellar I have a wainscot chair. On the back panel is a carving of St. George and the Dragon. In some depictions, St. George is a dragon slayer. George kills the dragon. The interpretation I prefer is where St. George has his foot on the dragon, keeping the dragon in check.
George’s dragon is his dragon, and George is a dude who knows his dragon’s power. So we know that George has a practice, one that he takes seriously. Given its freedom, the dragon would unseat Georgy Boy from his horse and trample all over our aspiring saint. George’s dragon, in the worthy books of cosmic horseshit, is conventionally referred to as “lower nature”. George’s work is to find a balance where the “lower” supports the “higher” in him. But given that the Human Condition delivers us pretty much fucked at birth, we begin life at a disadvantage.
PQ: That’s a harsh presentation, of being born into the rich tapestry of life.
R: The Fall from Grace. We may also take this literally.
PQ: You’ve moved on from humiliation.
R: No. One simple way of conveying the power of “lower nature”: think rampant ego. I’ve worked with people whose primary drive is egotism – it’s all about me! When this is accompanied by success, perhaps great success, the ego is likely to get stronger. Then we get arrogance. If the arrogant ego is further strengthened, seemingly approved by hordes of simpering adulants, arrogance moves to hubris. I’ve seen this with musicians whose natural inclination is toward – it’s all about me! – and whose great popularity has, seemingly, confirmed their pretensions to personal greatness.
Not only rock stars. One example of a businessman, recently in our news: the hubristic Mr. SG Alder of EG in the mid-1980s. That’s if and when we get stuck into the details of Endless Grief.
Hubristic egotism on the outside is, usually, unseated by a public fall from grace. Like worldly failure, bankruptcy, the results of hubristic overreach.
Hubristic egotism, on the inside – what to do? How to counter spiritual pride? Humiliation. Private humiliation. Seeing the poverty of our being, knowing it, accepting it, living with it. Putting our foot on it. Teaching our dragon to know its place.
So back to, what is being humiliated? The dragon. Not George. George’s foot is on the dragon’s neck, with a pointy sword ready to poke it in the ass if it gets too stroppy.
When a pundit kicks off – Hey! George, getting a bit above ourself, aren’t we? - George takes no offence. This is old news for our hero. Since George lives a public life, being a good guy and a saint after all, helpful criticism arrives seemingly of its own accord. George uses this to help him keep his dragon in place.
PQ: How is this helpful?
R: Better expressed, useful. George turns “helpful” to “useful” and monitors his condition. The degree, to which we are able to honourably endure public humiliation, is a reliable indicator of two things:
firstly, the intensity of our Wish-To-Be;
secondly, the measure of our Being.
PQ: Actually, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
R: Thank you for your honesty.
PQ: Are there any benefits in the real world?
R: By the “real” world, I assume you mean ordinary daily life out there. AKA the unreal world.
Yes. An example. The music industry seeks to control the artists. Flattery is a superb instrument of control. Some artists want constant attention, even their entire performing life is based on their need for recognition and praise. They want their dragon tickled. Sometimes the controlling party can get to lead the artist’s dragon around on a leash. Quite apart from the personal aspect, as a professional weakness this provides a major vulnerability.
PQ: Have “controlling agents” ever tried to get to you?
R: Of course.
PQ: And?
R: That’s for another day. Please.
