In one of my favorite books, Grendel, by John Gardner, the infamous monster is a sentient being acutely aware of his own isolation and loneliness. He lurks outside Hrothgar's settlement, absorbed in the songs of the new, blind Shaper, the first Christian scop to live among the Scyldings. Grendel becomes absorbed in the Shaper's songs of the creation of the heavens and how the greatest of the gods gave life to creatures of the Earth. As Grendel prepares to embrace these teachings and seek peace with the Danes, the Shaper's song turns solemn with the story of Cain and Abel. Grendel, sings the shaper, is the spawn of Cain, a descendant of a race forever cursed.
Angry and confused by his attraction to and rejection by humans, Grendel seeks an audience with a dragon, a metaphysician who scorns the teachings of the Shaper. The dragon tells him that mankind is challenged and improved by his attacks, that his role in the world is to be the "brute existent" by which mankind defines itself. Grendel initially rejects this isolated role, but eventually embraces it, becoming the "Ruiner of Mead Halls, Destroyer of Kings." Grendel has become the ultimate skeptic.
Philosophical scepticism is the philosophy of questioning widely accepted beliefs. Practitioners were those who sought logical, rational, or scientific explanations to phenomena or events, even when in conflict with popular belief. Modern day skeptics are not necessarily philosophers, but rather people who become suspicious of widely held beliefs and practices when they are supported a bit too zealously. Skeptics are not necessarily cynics in that they do not immediately suspect the adherents of duplicitous motives; for example, a skeptic might question the message of a television evangelist, while a cynic immediately assumes the evangelist is a charlatan.
I didn't choose to be a skeptic, but nevertheless, I am. As I look back over my life, I realize that I have chosen not to believe in many more systems of thought than I have chosen to believe in. I rejected Roman Catholicism by the time I was twelve. Politically, I was beyond my parents' command by high school. I was the first person in my family to be divorced, violating the precepts of making the best of it and toughing it out.
I have learned this about myself: the more fervently others hold a belief, the more suspicious I become of that belief. It doesn't bother me when a person holds or expresses ideas contrary to my own, but if the expression of these ideas becomes too strident, I immediately become the contrarian. My one concession as I age and mature is that I've learned to express my doubt or disapproval without objectionable language or disagreeable tone. That wasn't always the case.
Skepticism doesn't preclude having a value system; in fact, a value system is a necessity. Mine has evolved to give primacy to parenting, mentoring, and lending strength and support to people I respect. I don't need to belong to a group of true believers to do those things. I admit that life would undoubtably be a lot easier with my eyes shining in belief rather than rolling in disbelief. That's just not the way I'm built.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
"Mine has evolved to give primacy to parenting, mentoring, and lending strength and support to people I respect. I don't need to belong to a group of true believers to do those things. I admit that life would undoubtably be a lot easier with my eyes shining in belief rather than rolling in disbelief."
You're a very cool, wise man, Paul, which is why you are obviously so admired.
As far as skeptics vs. cynics- I'm definitely a skeptic, too. And with all this heavy food for thought, I'd best head off to the mead-hall for a beverage.
BTW- I left you a comment to your comment. Are you still sure that flirts are harmless?
Skepticism is a very good thing indeed. But so is suspension of disbelief. And the fellowship of the mead-hall, perhaps best of all.
Oh Paul I agree on this one....the louder one screams about their beliefs...the more room to question///I'm a firm believer of reading between the lines...not so much what someone says but why....case in point with your observations here.
:-)
nettie
Beautiful and wise, Paul.
V
The screamers have wrapped themselves so tightly in their beliefs, they leave no room for others to speak. I know. I lived it, choosing not to tough it out but rather to breathe again.
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks" is my favorite quote of all time. It pretty much sums up my opinion on people saying what believers they are, or how rich they are, or how attractive they find themselves. What/who we truly are is blatently obvious by what we do, not by what we say.
Post a Comment