Aphorisms
An aphorism is a short statement embodying a broader truth. Someone described aphorisms as one-line novels. For example, Hippocrates is credited with "life is short, art is long". Mark Twain urged that we should "always do right -- this will gratify some and astonish the rest". Aphorisms are fun- fun to hear, fun to think about. I understand that the ability to create aphorisms used to be the mark of the intelligent. I imagine attempts to conduct conversations entirely in new aphorisms. Now I rarely hear new aphorisms.
That's why I was glad to find something new recently. Author Tammy Bruce is credited with saying "when victimhood is your empowerment, recovery is your enemy." I take it she refers to the increasingly common feeling that for every bad thing that happens, there must be a third party to blame and that victimhood is a desirable condition. Instead of recognizing the opportunity to better themselves, these victims surrender, refuse to try, refuse to help themselves. I don't mean that people never need help, that we are excused from looking for opportunities to help others but we can't help those who refuse to help themselves, who won't try their hardest to improve their situations, who would rather remain victims.
When we fall into the trap of victimhood, the feeling that we are not responsible for ourselves, we not only become indolent and inactive, we not only refuse to try to help ourselves, we resist the help of others. If we don't believe that we are responsible for ourselves, we're virtually assuring that we won't succeed.
Avoid or recover from victimhood: Recognize that however our problems were caused, we're the ones that have to solve them. Don't await a third party's help to solve your problems. And, by the way, if you're among the fortunate who have the resources to help others, help them. Help them help themselves, help them recover from victimhood.
3-6-06
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