Hated

© O. Douglas Jennings. All rights reserved.

I hate it ...

...when anyone (myself included) takes themselves too seriously.

The point at which a person feels so self-righteous and self-important that they justify demonizing or destroying the reputation of someone else for "the good of the cause" or for political points, is sad to see. I've had that grandiose impulse much to my regret.

On one occasion I felt it necessary to have a political debate with an old man at a dinner party. Our discussion escalated to the point when I found my self defending my position with the loud but pitiful statement, "It's a matter of national security!". At which point everyone in the room stopped talking and looked at me. Embarrassed, I then realized my folly. Such a thing is always petty and never pretty.

With enough of such painful instances, I've think I'm making some progress to begin to learn to check my priggish tendencies and avoid polemic crusades.

Angry young men too often become stodgy old farts… or even worse, Ayatollahs.

Illustration: Naked Yelling Guy Sketch from one of my 90s Sketchbooks