Bullies and St. Augustine, 8-1-2010

The following aught my eye from St. Augustine's Confessions, (III, iii (6)):

...And now I was head in the School of Rhetoric, whereat I rejoiced proudly, and became inflated with arrogance, though more sedate, O Lord, as You know, and altogether removed from the subvertings of those subverters (for this stupid and diabolical name was held to be the very brand of gallantry) among whom I lived, with an impudent shamefacedness that I was not even as they were. And with them I was, and at times I was delighted with their friendship whose acts I ever abhorred, that is, their subverting, wherewith they insolently attacked the modesty of strangers, which they disturbed by uncalled for jeers, gratifying thereby their mischievous mirth. Nothing can more nearly resemble the actions of devils than these. By what name, therefore, could they be more truly called than subverters?— being themselves subverted first, and altogether perverted — being secretly mocked at and seduced by the deceiving spirits, in what they themselves delight to jeer at and deceive others.

This June and July, the Indianapolis Sta and the Indianapolis televisions stations gave extended coverage to an alleged sexual assault by members of the Carmel basketball team. Then during the Indianapolis Back Expo, there were shootings that appear caused by inter-gang conflicts. The New York Times reported on anti-bullying legislation in New York. Who says there has been a great change in human behavior in the past 1,640 years? 

Here are questions for everyone:

1. Why does the behavior persist?
2. Why do we not learn to behave better towards one another?
3. How can we educate people to change their behavior?

The future is now in your hands. Either learn to put up with bad behavior, or figure out solutions for real change. Do not expect the eradication of all cretins and/or bad behavior. Do not expect government solutions for all of our problems. Take the amount of responsibility for your world and your actions, just as you want from me. 

 

sch

[Please keep reading here to see how well I handled my own responsibilities since August 2010, sch 2/27/23]