Claiming the Legagcy

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My previous post claimed that in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol,  Scrooge pointed the path to compassionate optimism. Yet, we need to remember that Scrooge did not simply awake to Christmas morning magically transformed through his own efforts. Indeed, left to his own devices, he might have remained unchanged, or to be truly pessimistic, may not have awakened at all, left instead in the graveyard to which the spirit of Christmas yet-to-be had led him. It was the spirits of Christmas past, present and yet-to-be, who taught him the path to compassionate optimism. And in truth, attaining the grace of compassionate optimism does require guidance, skills and practice. 

As Dylan Thomas requires, "to begin at the beginning," it is my firm conviction that compassionate optimism rests most firmly on a bed of language. Language not only separates us from the other creatures with whom we share the globe, it is also the uniquely human tool that allows us to both formulate and communicate our most subtle perceptions. Furthermore, it is those perceptions that define our truth, our beliefs and our attitudes. If we are to confront the misanthropic pessimism of “Scrooge Before the Change” and become compassionate optimists we need to learn and practice the language of compassionate optimism. 

Back when I was a young fresh-faced grad student "counter attitudinal advocacy" was a hot bit of jargon in the discipline.  It sprang out of courses and theories dealing with debate, argumentation and advocacy. Leon Festinger was one of its primary advocates. Bottom line, it became an element in the "how do you win an argument" toolbox. The idea was that you would attempt to construct an argument based on the beliefs of your opponent. By attempting to get inside your opponent's head to construct the opposition's best argument, you could discover the weaknesses in their position and take advantage of them. Interestingly, and perhaps not intentionally, forming an argument from your opponent’s point of view allowed you to also learn the strengths of their position. You could learn the language of an alternative perspective. 

To claim Scrooge’s legacy of compassionate optimism we can employ that same "counter attitudinal advocacy" strategy in the service of a linguistic objective.  The idea is to convert the language of misanthropic pessimism into the more gentle, kinder, and humane language of compassionate optimism. 

Not surprisingly, I will assert that Distilled Harmony can smooth the path to compassionate optimism with a designed application of the power of language. But first we need to understand the issues that may stand in our way. The tools of digital technology used in current human communication would have sent their practitioners to the stake in any previous century. To our ancestor's eyes our smartphones and other digital whiz bang gizmos would have appeared at best to be magic, at worst witchcraft.  And while we may still cling to the slippery belief that Facebook, Twitter, et al have not sprung from the dark arts, digital communication has deeply bruised some of the more graceful aspects of language. 

We have, in service to the overpowering digital need for speed, sacrificed nuance for numbers. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways - in 146 characters and spaces or less. Better yet in two - a V lying on its side followed by the number 3 which makes a kind of heart. [A construction I cannot replicate here because because the blogging software tries to read it as HTML code.]

Pessimism finds its expression more easily in harsh language: No! Wrong! Liar! Just about every racial or political slur, and of course the all purpose "F You!" Pessimism uses sledgehammer language, brutish, blunt, bullying, often profane, and emotionally simplistic.  

The first tenet of Distilled Harmony is to foster harmony. This dictates that in the linguistic pursuit of compassionate optimism we must purge our own language of those traces of brutish pessimism. That is harder than it seems. Language evolved. It did not descend from the perfect prose or poetry of the angels. As human thought and perception elevated, language worked to keep pace. The graceful capabilities of language are hard won prizes that must not be tossed aside for some facile flirtation with speed or a childish fear of falling behind in the pursuit of the latest obsession of the herd. Oops. Obviously I meant FOMO. 

To foster linguistic harmony means to avoid the language of discord. Nobody is truly interested in our complaints. They may be irritated by the same issues that grate on our nerves, but in truth - contemporary American politics notwithstanding - venting does little to assuage our listeners ire or our own. Rather ranting and brief bursts of accusatory complaints merely increases discord and fosters pessimism. Think of a recent example of brutish, bullying language you had the misfortune to encounter. To quote Professor Harold Hill: "Make your blood boil?  Well, I should say!"  

The language of misanthropic pessimism makes does make your blood boil. The language of compassionate optimism cools the venting spleen, gentles the roiling soul. So train yourself to bite back the cutting remark, the disparaging retort. No one really wants to hear about it, and you simply raise your own blood pressure to little or no avail. And here kindergarten may offer a bit of wisdom - if you can't say something nice, it is preferable to say nothing at all. 

The second tenet of Distilled Harmony is to enable beauty. The potential for beauty in the language of compassionate optimism, to twist a metaphor, leaves one speechless. From ancient tomes, through the compelling literature of every age, to the latest novel or musical lyric we all cling to phrases that stagger us with their linguistic perfection, with their ability to engage and enchant our soul. Truly it is the hope of crafting such a phrase, poem, novel, essay or post that has inspired millions of persistent souls across time to confront the daunting challenge of the blank page. 

When considering the contribution of the the third tenet of Distilled Harmony - distill complexity - to the language of compassionate optimism I must admit to significant personal failure. Brevity can be beautiful. But clearly I am not so inclined. A quote attributed to many sculptors is the advice to envision the finished work within a block of marble and then simply carve away everything that doesn't look like the finished work. I can offer similar advice when you sense I am having too much fun with words. Read the whole post and then throw away whatever words you think I really don't need. After all, once I hit "post" you are free to make what you will of my ramblings. 

Oppose Harm. What role does this fourth tenet of Distilled Harmony play in our pursuit of a language of compassionate optimism? A simple one I think. Do not debase yourself, your thoughts, emotions and beliefs with blunt and brutish language. We should use language thoughtfully to express our best self, the person we would most like to become. Our language, written, spoken or sung should paint that person, clearly, gracefully, beautifully. 

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