The Dreyfus Affair
In 1894, a French military officer, Alfred Dreyfus, was wrongly accused of passing secrets to the Imperial German Army. With Anti-Semitic tendencies rampant in French society, Dreyfus’ Jewish heritage made him an easy target.
When Dreyfus stood before the jury, his calm but colorless tone was interpreted as guilt. Despite his innocence, Dreyfus was condemned to life imprisonment and publicly dishonorably discharged from the military. Even during the discharge ceremony, onlookers interpreted Dreyfus’ stoic demeanor as further proof of his guilt.
The truth soon emerged and Dreyfus’ innocence was proven, but not until after he spent three grueling years in exile. The lesson of the Dreyfus Affair? People will take the slightest emotional cues – tone of voice, for instance – and use that information jump to conclusions that support their preconceived notions.
The Narcissism of Small Differences
In a society where everyone has equal rights, such as in a democracy or on the internet, the gap between a person and the model(s) they want to imitate can shrink, leading to an increase in the potential for rivalry.
This is because in a world where everyone is equal, the smallest differences between individuals become magnified. People’s self-identity becomes shaped by the differences they have with others and hatred towards the “other” becomes a crucial component in defining themselves. People become alike in their desire not to be alike.
This phenomenon is even more relevant in contemporary times as traditional social structures that once imposed physical or metaphysical distance, such as the family, church, and monarchies, are no longer present to prevent or channel conflicts. The result is a world where the smallest differences between individuals can escalate into intense rivalries and potentially violent confrontations.
Descartes’ Error
In his book, Descartes’ Error, neuroscientist Antonio Damasio explored the role of emotions in the decision-making process. In a study comprising of patients with damage to their ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), Damasio found out that even though these individuals were emotionally unexpressive when presented with either pictures with gruesome images or those with joyous one. Despite having normal IQ scores, these individuals struggled to make even basic decisions in their personal and professional lives.
Through his research, Damasio discovered that the vmPFC integrates emotions into rational deliberations, highlighting the fact that emotions are not just disturbances that prevent us from living a full life, but are actually essential for rational decision-making. Without emotions, decisions would be based solely on weighing the pros and cons of the physical attributes of different options, which can easily become overwhelming.
A Tale of Two Brothers
In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells the parable of the Prodigal Son. The traditional interpretation is that there are two types of people – the wild and the responsible. But there’s so much more to this story than just that. Jesus was actually uncovering a fundamental truth about human nature in this parable.
We all have a part of us that’s impulsive, short-sighted, and driven by instant gratification – just like the Prodigal Son. But we all also have the personality of the Older Brother, who is calculated, rational, and judgmental. Both sides of human nature are united by a common thread of pathological self-centeredness.
But, there’s one constant in this story that shines through – the love of God. It’s this love that remains ever-present, no matter how far we stray or how much we judge ourselves and others.
