Philosopher's Corner

Philosopher's Corner: Kelly R Piercy, semperfidelas@gmail.com

The Analects

The Master said: "Do not be concerned that others are talking about you; be concerned that you are worthy of being spoke about."
Cf: XV:19

With any delivered wisdom, there are entire books to be written. Here The Master, Kong (Qi) Fuzi, know to the West as Confucius, tells us many things.

Here we concentrate on the central, and obvious, meaning of this saying.

Of course, the common interpretation, by the 'general public' is that a person on the registry equates to the most heinous of criminals. We, collectively, struggle against this label in every aspect of our life. This labeling has become so pervasive in our society that few of us will wear the label openly.

Whether it is unique to American Society or unique to the world culture is a matter for Cultural Anthropologist and Sociologist and well beyond the ability of this lay author. It would seem, that it is the nature of the species to control segments of society by establishing castes. In one of the world's most populace societies, the Caste System was formalized into a natural condition with the Raj at the top and the Untouchables at the bottom. We have become America's Untouchables.

Yet America is a different sort of society. Our Untouchables are sanitized by being classed by the polite designation of 'Regulation; dodging the reality of the onus of criminal or the association with the punitive effect of the label. After all, America is a 'Christian' nation according to those who most strongly oppose its constitutional values or equality and tolerance.

In this environment, how do we hold our head up? It is often noted that there are near three-quarter of a million people on the registry and that over four million are directly affected by the registry. There are more Native Americans in the United States than that. In fact, using the largest number of those affected by the registry and the lowest population estimates for the United States, those affected by the registry equate to a mere one-point-two percent (1.2%.)

To give this meaning, allow an anecdote from prison. Our regular Priest was called away and a retired Priest filled in on one Sunday. The Mass went as usual until it came time for the Homily. Instead of delivering the set Homily from the pulpit, this ancient Father pulled a chair from the front row and seated himself at the head of the center aisle and smiled as us as he gave his blessing. Then he left the formality of Priest and Parishioners as he spoke in conversational tones of a grandfather to his grandchildren.

"I know that you pray every day to be delivered from this hell. I pray with you." The priest said with sincerity.

Then he looked at each and every one of us, his eyes full of care and empathy.

"What I need you to understand is that there is power in prayer. For every one of you who prays reverently to be free of this indecent condition, there are hundreds praying that you are not ever let out of here."

He ended with a sad smile as the reality soaked in.

What do we do with this? Socrates defended himself in the World's fist and greatest, and only true democracy. The Athenian Court found him guilty and gave him the option of exile or death. His friends urged him to flee into exile at Corinth or Sparta. But, Socrates was Athenian and would not leave his home.

To his friends urging, he answered, "The Gods will not punish a just man."

Did this Canonized Saint of the Universal (Catholic) Church know of the wisdom of Master Kong, or is that received wisdom so apparent that we should all know it? One of the world's earliest societies truly culminated its wisdom in the Analects. It is the hope we must embrace. The wisdom of Kong Qi predates that of any Western System and tells us how to stop being a victim of our label and how to defeat that label.

Do not embrace the label as a mill stone around our necks. Rather be the worthy people we are. Make a friend, a real friend, of the next stranger you meet. Do what you are able to help that stranger. Understand their wants, needs, hopes, and fears. Form a true bond. Then tell them about your label and how the burden hurts your family and how it hurts our society.

Be worthy of being talked about.