Apples from Eden
a study in Good vs. Evil
40” x 30” acrylic painting, $490
Thank Goodness
Those of us who pay attention to the news can easily come to the conclusion that there is little hope for humanity. Articles abound with tales of cruelty and dysfunction, reminding us constantly of the negative aspects of human behavior. Road rage, gang warfare, bigotry theft and child abuse are crammed into our brains as though they are the norm rather than the exception.
In support of these negative revelations, I had a fearful experience last month when just past midnight two men tried to break into our home. Due to extensive damage from a February storm, contractors had place scaffolding and trash containers on our property. At night, with lights turned off, it was not surprising that enterprising thieves thought the place had been abandoned during construction. That certainly was not the case.
Awakened by the sound of door handles being jiggled we instantly became alert. Ray immediately recognized what was happening and quietly crept out of bed to dress and locate a flashlight. He then tiptoed to a darkened room near the creaks, peered out the window and shined his flashlight in the surprised eyes of the intruders. Two startled hooded men wasted no time in bolting away. In the meantime, I stayed frozen in my bed, huddled under blankets, wondering whether to call the police. Afterwards Ray and I us discussed the despicable state of society and returned to sleep, never imagining that the men might return. Two hours later soft sounds were again heard, this time on the scaffolding at the other side of the house, and the chase repeated itself. The incident left us very cautions about leaving doors unlocked, bringing great sadness, since we both grew up in neighborhoods where no-one ever locked their doors.
Basically I am a glass is half full type of person and do not dwell on negativity, so it was not long before the incident receded into my sub-conscious. Then a month later, a most upsetting event occurred that made me once more reevaluate my understanding of good vs. evil.
On the way to a pottery class, I had removed my engagement ring in order to protect it from being imbedded with clay. It was very carefully placed along with my car keys in a deep pants pocket. The hours ticked by pleasantly I until returned home and went to put on the ring, only to discover that it was gone. The wash of panic that spread through me was instant. Had I left it in the clay studio? Did it fall out in the parking lot of the art center? I remembered that I had also gone to a supermarket and thought it could have been lost there. The ring probably got caught in my keys and fell to the ground when they were pulled from my pocket.
This ring is very special. Not only was it expensive, but it was given to me with love at an extremely vulnerable time. Ray and I had been looking at diamonds for about a year, exploring Portland jewelry stores as well as merchants as far away as Hong Kong. Unbeknownst to me, he kept returning to visit a local jeweler to inspect an estate ring with a European cut diamond. Instead of using laser tools as they do today, old world craftsmen used to shape diamonds by hand, making each stone unique and special. Since the this particular ring was expensive, it continued to sit at the jewelers for many months while my life went on without it.
Then, eight years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have a double mastectomy. Knowing that I was sad at having to lose a prideful part of my body, Ray acted unexpectedly. He purchased the antique ring and presented it to me, demonstrating his love as well a compassion. My broken body was not going to keep him away. We were engaged to each other.
You might now understand why I was so very upset when the jewelry was lost. Though I did have insurance, this particular item was irreplaceable as a symbol of our commitment to each other. My heart and mind started to race as I sped back to the supermarket to crawl on burning pavement to search under cars. I was sure that by the time of my search someone had already found the ring and kept it to sell. There seemed little chance for it to meet the hands of an honest person, especially at that particular market, but I did give the customer service attendant my information before rushing on to the clay studio which seemed to be the more logical place for the loss.
During these auto trips I thought about what Ray’s reaction would be, imagining the worst. Would he shout and scream about my carelessness and tell me how unthinking and clumsy I am? I wondered if he would leave me over the incident, giving super-credence to the ring as the commitment, rather than one made by two individuals. I cried and started to pray, negotiating for a belief in God if the jewelry was found, knowing that such a conversion would be difficult. The idea of putting up posters and announcing a finders bonus for whomever found the ring entered my head. I considered if it would be better to hide the truth and not tell anyone, at least until the insurance company was contacted or the posters had a chance to work. As thoughts tumbled, my mind raced, heart pounded, and I kept telling myself to drive carefully.
The trip to the clay studio produced equally unsuccessful results even though several staff assisted me in a search. There was nothing left to do but return home and accept the loss.
Upon entering the house I noticed the telephone message light blinking, suspecting it was my sister calling. You might imagine my surprise when I discovered that it was a customer service person saying that someone had found an engagement ring in the supermarket parking lot, and please phone back to describe the one I lost. Not waiting to make the call, I started my third dash to the store, hoping that the diamond was mine and not someone else’s sad loss. Running to the counter I learned that the man who had called my home was on break and no-one there knew whereabouts of a ring. The next half hour was very difficult as I paced back an forth through the isles waiting for the employee to return to his post. The story does end well, thankfully, for the ring was mine, though the gold setting was damaged. A car must have run over it.
I was elated, not only by the thought of someone being able to see a small sparkle amongst parked cars, but that the individual turned it in. A feeling of warmth and happiness spread throughout my body, and I mentally sent out thanks to the good samaritan who had reconfirmed my belief that people are basically good and caring.
Steve Taylor, PhD. in the Aug. 26th issue of Psychology Today in 2013 wrote that, “It’s a dangerous over-simplification to believe that some people are innately ‘good’ while others are innately ‘evil’ or ‘bad.’” He claims that it is misleading to think that bad people are the ones who commit crimes and should be locked up because they are evil. He continues to say that this concept is the fuel for many wars because people start believing that it is just to fight an evil enemy. Good and evil behavior, rather than being intrinsic, he says, is a complex part of human nature. Most people have both good and bad qualities within that are influenced by environmental and family factors.
Recently, European justice systems, unlike our own, started recognizing these complexities. Cases are now prosecuted with the idea of providing restorative justice. Offenders are given the chance to meet their victims and learn about the effects of their crime. What has been discovered is that so called evil people can be affected by these interactions and influenced to change their demeanor. A newly acquired sense of empathy is the first step to their rehabilitation. Though not every criminal is successfully changed, enough are, so that the approach is considered worthwhile.
According to Taylor righteousness emerges when people are connected. I concur with him when he says that “goodness is fundamental to human nature.” Even those who have joined gangs have learned to be loyal and supportive of other members. Evil, in all of its psychopathic forms, is most likely to emerge when when there is social disconnection.
With these lessons in mind, I choose to think that people have more goodness within than not, and that society has the ability to increase humaneness by the way it operates to heal discord.
Please share your thoughts. It would be fun to get a discussion going.
Artwork is always for sale. Contact me at marilynne@eichingerfineart.com or go to my web site eichingerfineart.com to learn more.
Reference:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201308/the-real-meaning-good-and-evil – Good Vs Evil
Home » Blog » Good vs Evil
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Apples from Eden
a study in Good vs. Evil
40” x 30” acrylic painting, $490
Thank Goodness
Those of us who pay attention to the news can easily come to the conclusion that there is little hope for humanity. Articles abound with tales of cruelty and dysfunction, reminding us constantly of the negative aspects of human behavior. Road rage, gang warfare, bigotry theft and child abuse are crammed into our brains as though they are the norm rather than the exception.
In support of these negative revelations, I had a fearful experience last month when just past midnight two men tried to break into our home. Due to extensive damage from a February storm, contractors had place scaffolding and trash containers on our property. At night, with lights turned off, it was not surprising that enterprising thieves thought the place had been abandoned during construction. That certainly was not the case.
Awakened by the sound of door handles being jiggled we instantly became alert. Ray immediately recognized what was happening and quietly crept out of bed to dress and locate a flashlight. He then tiptoed to a darkened room near the creaks, peered out the window and shined his flashlight in the surprised eyes of the intruders. Two startled hooded men wasted no time in bolting away. In the meantime, I stayed frozen in my bed, huddled under blankets, wondering whether to call the police. Afterwards Ray and I us discussed the despicable state of society and returned to sleep, never imagining that the men might return. Two hours later soft sounds were again heard, this time on the scaffolding at the other side of the house, and the chase repeated itself. The incident left us very cautions about leaving doors unlocked, bringing great sadness, since we both grew up in neighborhoods where no-one ever locked their doors.
Basically I am a glass is half full type of person and do not dwell on negativity, so it was not long before the incident receded into my sub-conscious. Then a month later, a most upsetting event occurred that made me once more reevaluate my understanding of good vs. evil.
On the way to a pottery class, I had removed my engagement ring in order to protect it from being imbedded with clay. It was very carefully placed along with my car keys in a deep pants pocket. The hours ticked by pleasantly I until returned home and went to put on the ring, only to discover that it was gone. The wash of panic that spread through me was instant. Had I left it in the clay studio? Did it fall out in the parking lot of the art center? I remembered that I had also gone to a supermarket and thought it could have been lost there. The ring probably got caught in my keys and fell to the ground when they were pulled from my pocket.
This ring is very special. Not only was it expensive, but it was given to me with love at an extremely vulnerable time. Ray and I had been looking at diamonds for about a year, exploring Portland jewelry stores as well as merchants as far away as Hong Kong. Unbeknownst to me, he kept returning to visit a local jeweler to inspect an estate ring with a European cut diamond. Instead of using laser tools as they do today, old world craftsmen used to shape diamonds by hand, making each stone unique and special. Since the this particular ring was expensive, it continued to sit at the jewelers for many months while my life went on without it.
Then, eight years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have a double mastectomy. Knowing that I was sad at having to lose a prideful part of my body, Ray acted unexpectedly. He purchased the antique ring and presented it to me, demonstrating his love as well a compassion. My broken body was not going to keep him away. We were engaged to each other.
You might now understand why I was so very upset when the jewelry was lost. Though I did have insurance, this particular item was irreplaceable as a symbol of our commitment to each other. My heart and mind started to race as I sped back to the supermarket to crawl on burning pavement to search under cars. I was sure that by the time of my search someone had already found the ring and kept it to sell. There seemed little chance for it to meet the hands of an honest person, especially at that particular market, but I did give the customer service attendant my information before rushing on to the clay studio which seemed to be the more logical place for the loss.
During these auto trips I thought about what Ray’s reaction would be, imagining the worst. Would he shout and scream about my carelessness and tell me how unthinking and clumsy I am? I wondered if he would leave me over the incident, giving super-credence to the ring as the commitment, rather than one made by two individuals. I cried and started to pray, negotiating for a belief in God if the jewelry was found, knowing that such a conversion would be difficult. The idea of putting up posters and announcing a finders bonus for whomever found the ring entered my head. I considered if it would be better to hide the truth and not tell anyone, at least until the insurance company was contacted or the posters had a chance to work. As thoughts tumbled, my mind raced, heart pounded, and I kept telling myself to drive carefully.
The trip to the clay studio produced equally unsuccessful results even though several staff assisted me in a search. There was nothing left to do but return home and accept the loss.
Upon entering the house I noticed the telephone message light blinking, suspecting it was my sister calling. You might imagine my surprise when I discovered that it was a customer service person saying that someone had found an engagement ring in the supermarket parking lot, and please phone back to describe the one I lost. Not waiting to make the call, I started my third dash to the store, hoping that the diamond was mine and not someone else’s sad loss. Running to the counter I learned that the man who had called my home was on break and no-one there knew whereabouts of a ring. The next half hour was very difficult as I paced back an forth through the isles waiting for the employee to return to his post. The story does end well, thankfully, for the ring was mine, though the gold setting was damaged. A car must have run over it.
I was elated, not only by the thought of someone being able to see a small sparkle amongst parked cars, but that the individual turned it in. A feeling of warmth and happiness spread throughout my body, and I mentally sent out thanks to the good samaritan who had reconfirmed my belief that people are basically good and caring.
Steve Taylor, PhD. in the Aug. 26th issue of Psychology Today in 2013 wrote that, “It’s a dangerous over-simplification to believe that some people are innately ‘good’ while others are innately ‘evil’ or ‘bad.’” He claims that it is misleading to think that bad people are the ones who commit crimes and should be locked up because they are evil. He continues to say that this concept is the fuel for many wars because people start believing that it is just to fight an evil enemy. Good and evil behavior, rather than being intrinsic, he says, is a complex part of human nature. Most people have both good and bad qualities within that are influenced by environmental and family factors.
Recently, European justice systems, unlike our own, started recognizing these complexities. Cases are now prosecuted with the idea of providing restorative justice. Offenders are given the chance to meet their victims and learn about the effects of their crime. What has been discovered is that so called evil people can be affected by these interactions and influenced to change their demeanor. A newly acquired sense of empathy is the first step to their rehabilitation. Though not every criminal is successfully changed, enough are, so that the approach is considered worthwhile.
According to Taylor righteousness emerges when people are connected. I concur with him when he says that “goodness is fundamental to human nature.” Even those who have joined gangs have learned to be loyal and supportive of other members. Evil, in all of its psychopathic forms, is most likely to emerge when when there is social disconnection.
With these lessons in mind, I choose to think that people have more goodness within than not, and that society has the ability to increase humaneness by the way it operates to heal discord.
Please share your thoughts. It would be fun to get a discussion going.
Artwork is always for sale. Contact me at marilynne@eichingerfineart.com or go to my web site eichingerfineart.com to learn more.
Reference:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201308/the-real-meaning-good-and-evil – Good Vs Evil
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