Our self-esteem is apt
to be based on the hypothetical great act we have never had occasion to perform;
and even the most self-scrutinizing modesty credits itself negatively with a
high standard of conduct.
Edith Wharton - The Touchstone (1905)
Sometimes one comes across an observation which slides like
a scalpel under the skin of self-esteem. We do indeed base our self-esteem on
hypothetical great acts. These are not acts which fall into the realm of pure fantasy such as scoring the winning goal in the World Cup, nor the realm of impure fantasy but we won't go into that.
Wharton’s hypothetical great acts are such things as acts of
formidable honesty which we never quite attain. Or acts of assertiveness,
eloquence, physical endurance, magnanimity or even the hypothetical composition
of a supremely penetrating blog post. They all serve to credit ourselves with a high
standard of hypothetical conduct. It underpins virtue-signalling for example.
We can’t easily escape it altogether either, not if we wish
to keep hold of a few ideals and some degree of motivation to make our way
through life without descending into the pits of lassitude.
It is a profound problem with modern politics - laying political
claim to hypothetical great acts such as sustainable energy or the
elimination of poverty. Virtually everyone knows they are hypothetical but
activists don’t want to know. Unfortunately the political class listens to activists because they peddle the hypothetical great acts while the people who peddle reality are so infernally dull.
4 comments:
"such things as acts of formidable honesty which we never quite attain. Or acts of assertiveness, eloquence, physical endurance, magnanimity or even the hypothetical composition of a supremely penetrating blog post."
About 20 years ago, I went on a meditation retreat where we had to sit on cushions for hours at a time and try not to move. It was pointed out that we had better choose a posture we could sustain for a few hours, as moving about disturbed other people. Other than that, there was no threat or coercion; all that kept me sitting with my legs crossed was the mild social fear of slightly upsetting some other nice middle class types. Plus the recollection of the fact that I had paid for this, and I didn't want to let myself down.
After an hour or so, it began to get uncomfortable, and then to hurt very badly. We had a few breaks, but it was dispiriting to find that it hurt just as much after the break.
I had always thought of myself as tough, one of those fearless and persistent people who I had read about in adventure stories as a child. More recently, one of those strong moral people who didn't try to inflict pain in Milgram's famous experiment, or refused to act like a Nazi in those fake prison role-play experiments. Special; better than other ordinary people.
But on the cushion, I would have done anything - literally anything - to stop the pain. Anne Frank would have been grassed up, and then I would have sold all my children into slavery. I would have inflicted anything on anyone in order to get it to stop. All for what was really only discomfort from sitting with the tendons stretched a bit.
So when I am tempted to think about a "Great Act" as per Wharton's idea, I recall that retreat. It's better to soberly know your limitations.
A bit off topic but your mention of Ann Frank prompted a distant memory. It could have been as long ago as the Sixties or maybe Seventies.
The Abbey Theatre, Dublin ( I believe) put on a dramatised version of “ The Diary of Ann Frank”
It was not a successful production. It was so bad that, when the Gestapo arrived, some wits in the audience
shouted “She’s upstairs!”
I didn’t see the production - only the press report. Some people
were shocked. Most of the very few I talked to
about it thought the audience were entitled to a robust way of making their opinion felt.
I suspect most of us prefer our dream worlds.
Sam - one reason why I gave up on yoga was because I couldn't sit comfortably with my legs crossed and knew I never would. I could do it for a while without too much discomfort but it never became a comfortable sitting position. As you say - it is better to know your limitations.
Edward - in our experience audiences are quite tolerant about poor plays. We have been to one or two at Buxton which have discouraged us from going to Buxton again.
Demetrius - I'm not so sure - some of my dream worlds can be rather odd.
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