Those who have the fewest resources in themselves naturally seek the food of their self-love elsewhere. The most ignorant people find most to laugh at in strangers; scandal and satire prevail most in small places; and the propensity to ridicule the slightest or most palpable deviation from what we happen to approve, ceases with the progress of common sense and decency. True worth does not exult in the faults and deficiency of others; as true refinement turns away from grossness and deformity, instead of being tempted to indulge in an unmanly triumph over it. Real power, real excellence does not seek for a foil in imperfection; nor fear contamination from coming in contact with that which is coarse and homely. It reposes on itself, and is equally free from envy and affectation. There are some persons who seem to purposely treasure up things that are disagreeable.
By the rules of justice, no man ought to be ridiculed for any imperfection who does not set up for eminent sufficiency in that wherein he is defective. If thou wouldst bear thy neighbor's faults, cast thy eyes upon thy own.
It is easier to avoid a fault than to acquire a perfection. By others' faults wise men correct their own. He that contemns a small fault commits a great one. The greatest of all faults is to believe we have none. Little minds ignore their own weakness, and carp at the defects of the great; but great minds are sensible of their own faults, and largely compassionate towards inferiors.
To a pure, sensitive, and affectionate mind, every act of finding fault, or dealing in condemnation, is an act of pain. It is only when we have become callous to the world, and strangers to the sentiments of compassionate love, that we are able to play with unconcern the parts of persecutors and slanderers, and that we can derive any pleasure from malignity and revenge. He who is the first to condemn, will be often the last to forgive.
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(End Quote)
This segment is very potent. There is no way to deny that any person residing within this world has faults. Yet, blame and criticism are almost entirely forces which we direct upon other individuals. I don't believe it is a conscious decision that causes this.
When I was very young, my younger brother and I were swimming in my grandmother's pool. Neither one of us was much of a swimmer at the time. My brother had gotten to the edge of the slope for the deep end of the pool and as he began to slip below the water he panicked. Reaching out he grabbed me and pulled me down and kicked off of me trying to force himself back into the shallow safety. I, however, was propelled down into the depths of the pool to fend for myself.
I see this same thing happening everywhere in the world around us. People find themselves, so overwhelmed by the weight of their own imperfections and shortcomings that they feel their very existence is in jeopardy. They reach out for anything they can take hold of and try to use it to keep themselves afloat.
What of the people we are forcing downwards into the depths? They are left to fend for themselves. It is not our job to make sure they survive as well. We have a hard enough time keeping our own heads above the water. Right?
This mentality is doing so much damage in the world. What are we going to do when all of the fellow swimmers have been drowned under our feet? When all the people have been chastised for their faults and lay broken beneath you, what then?
Perhaps we should all think more about what is going on inside of ourselves. What is really causing our discomfort? We all live in the same "pool". There isn't THAT much difference from one person to the next. You may think you are better than others and that is okay. Most of us started with those little floaters on our arms too.
Just think how much better things would be if you actually learned how to swim though.
