One of the virtues of good literature is that it encapsulates broad human truths for people to ponder--and hopefully gain a nugget or two of wisdom! This quote is essentially the theme of "Spock's World" (yes, I am an unrepentant Trekkie!), and I have always been captivated by its unadorned truth.
When we label, when we divide, when we dismiss and denigrate, we're not just hurting other people (although we are), we are also doing grave damage to ourselves.
Morally, we are objectifying and dehumanizing other people--and if there is one principle upon which the world's great religions agree it is that we should never do this.
Practically and psychologically, we are deluding ourselves. We are building up layers of unreality which will over time deceive us and cause us to make catastrophic judgment errors. Labels are our attempt to impose our view of what should be on the reality that is--that never ends well.
When those with political and economic power make this mistake, the consequence of their error is magnified by the power they wield. And that should scare the bejesus out of everyone!
“The spear in the Other's heart
is the spear in your own:
you are he.
There is no other wisdom,
and no other hope for us
but that we grow wise.
-attributed to Surak”
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9003729-the-spear-in-the-other-s-heart-is-the-spear-in
One of the virtues of good literature is that it encapsulates broad human truths for people to ponder--and hopefully gain a nugget or two of wisdom! This quote is essentially the theme of "Spock's World" (yes, I am an unrepentant Trekkie!), and I have always been captivated by its unadorned truth.
When we label, when we divide, when we dismiss and denigrate, we're not just hurting other people (although we are), we are also doing grave damage to ourselves.
Morally, we are objectifying and dehumanizing other people--and if there is one principle upon which the world's great religions agree it is that we should never do this.
Practically and psychologically, we are deluding ourselves. We are building up layers of unreality which will over time deceive us and cause us to make catastrophic judgment errors. Labels are our attempt to impose our view of what should be on the reality that is--that never ends well.
When those with political and economic power make this mistake, the consequence of their error is magnified by the power they wield. And that should scare the bejesus out of everyone!