Dear Friends,
It seems to me, perceived deprivation is responsible for lowering the lot of mankind. Perceived deprivation means the perception that someone else has it better than you. It’s a fancy way of saying envy. This need not be total life outcome. Often what is perceived to be lacking is one facet of life. The envier could be an elite even. This is because the deprivation is perceived not real. That perception of deprivation then rationalizes action to rectify the situation. Sometimes the action taken is to elevate oneself, which is a good reaction but the easier approach is to lower the other by taking the envied item away. Moreover, the perception that one cannot ever get the object of desire generates anger, hate, and wrath. In other words, perceived deprivation inexorably drives us down.
Pride is entangled with perceived deprivation. Before one can perceive to be deprived one has to compare oneself to others. So comparison leads to pride and shame. Pride when one compares better than another and shame at falling short. A person’s pride is damaged at the negative comparisons leading to a perceived deprivation, so they often try to fix it. Moreover, there’s an excitement that pride gives when we compare better than others. That’s what makes pride such an addictive emotion. The same is true of perceived deprivation. A few people look for reasons to be angry. They compare to find excuses to have fits of anger. When they find some, as there always are, they get the rewarding rush of that anger. Addiction is a consequence of the mental reward.
If one perceives he or she can’t rise to get the object of desire then they often stew in anger. Obviously, the optimal path would be for the person who perceives they are deprived to go get it, but the real world works on minimum friction. If the easiest path to ground is through a person, electricity cares not. People are the same. We find the easiest path to what we want. If we can’t have it, to many, denying it to others will do. This tension of envy at not having and anger at not being able generates hate. Hate then can corrode the soul. This means that someone who is wealthier, better-looking, and healthier can hate another for a perceived deprivation… not necessarily a real one. Then they can apply their wrath… ironically, sometimes on people of lower station.
Wrath follows hate like fire from a spark. The hated are dehumanized first. Once the dehumanization phase of hate has reached a crescendo, wrath is the only thing that makes sense to the hater. Their ability to reason is gone. Their appetites run the show. This is how genocides, crimes against humanity, and other atrocities happen. Such crimes are simply the visible manifestations of hate. That hate is usually generated by perceived deprivation. The deep irony is that the haters often punch down. Elites, for example, who perceive they are deprived of something the masses have. This perception could lead elites to harm their own people and themselves by default. Not from malevolence but from a kind of stupidity. The stupidity that comes from pride, comparison, and envy.
The answer is humility. Happiness in one’s station need not mean stagnation. Indeed, happiness in one’s station frees up energy that perceived deprivation wastes. Yet such negative emotions are addictive. Since someone else is better than us at everything we value, this can only lead us to perceive ourselves as deprived. It’s a lose lose game. Such comparison drives shame. Shame then motivates us to hate and then wrath. Then, finally, atrocities if not stopped. Humility is the opposite of pride. Instead of comparing ourselves to others we should focus inwardly with an eye to improving ourselves. Compare yourself to yourself. You are the only measure that counts. Comparing rocks to trees is a fool’s errand. So be humble instead of prideful and compare yourself today to yourself yesterday.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
