Pests are irritating

1047: 

Altruism usually means me putting me second. It needs some effort.  It’s usually inconvenient.  But if we are trying to squash the selfish urge, then the altruistic act can be made easier if it’s done as naturally and unselfconsciously as possible.  The longer you do it, the more of a habit it becomes and the less conscious one will be ‘doing’ it.  

For example: You act unselfishly, in the best interests of your own child - it feels very altruistic but quite natural.  However, if you apply that to everything else as well, does it become unwieldy?  Can we become too ambitious?  Is that a reason to confine altruism to our nearest and dearest?  Can the quality of mercy be strained?  Let’s say you find an ant in the sink, and quick as a flash your hand touches the tap.  A flow of rushing water washes the insect away.

If we think about the ant at all we might choose to act more altruistically.   It might go something like this.  You’re irritated.  “Damned ants!”.  (Perhaps it’s not the first time this has happened).  You don’t want it there; perhaps you don’t like ants; you think to drown it.  Then, on second thoughts, you resist the temptation (to turn on the tap).  You switch from self interest to ‘the interest’ of the insect.  You’re saving it; your hand reaches for a sheet of paper to scoop it up onto dry land.  Drown it or save it?  You’re learning to deal with a familiar ants-in-the-sink situation.

By making an empathetic choice the problem isn’t exactly solved (ants appearing in the sink) but an important lesson is taking place, that of acting non-violently, NOT taking the line of least resistance, putting something other than oneself first

           

Would we treat the ant with the same unselfish consideration as the child? probably not, since we have no personal relationship with the ant and it’s so small and almost too unimportant to think about.  “There are plenty of ants.  One less will make no difference”.  But this has nothing to do with ants really.  It’s not even about drawing closer to the ant’s world.  We’re using this situation to help us open our empathy ports, looking outwards to something that’s outside the human realm.  Looking inwards, letting the situation represent something within us, which might need drawing up into consciousness, awakening and working on.