Hare: Looking at US from outside | Columnists

In fact, in accordance to Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa in his autobiographic do the job, “The Guide of Disquiet,” posted 47 years just after his dying, “Man should not be in a position to see his have experience — there is practically nothing far more sinister. Nature gave him the gift of not becoming equipped to see it, and of not currently being equipped to stare into his possess eyes. Only in the h2o of rivers and ponds could he seem at his deal with. And the pretty posture he had to suppose was symbolic. He experienced to bend more than, stoop down, to commit the ignominy of beholding himself. The inventor of the mirror poisoned the human heart.”

In other words, our have perceptions about ourselves can in some cases establish harmful to our have humanity. And maybe our humility, as perfectly.

This, I think, we are ready to recognize additional obviously when we spend consideration to how others see us.

These times, there is a fantastic offer of energy and attention supplied to the marketing of not caring what others feel. It is not any one individual’s business what an individual else may possibly believe of them. And I recognize the value in these kinds of a posture — residing as authentically as one particular can without regard for, or inhibited by, what many others may possibly imagine. But it is this sort of a slender line, genuinely, for these indifference smacks of disregard, dismissal and invalidation of others’ ideas and thoughts. Someplace together the way, as empowered as we may well seemingly have turn into, we have shed our sense of superior manners, and in addition, our capability to disagree graciously.

I’m remaining to surprise: Is the present political landscape, with all its divisive language and polarizing accusatory positioning an accurate reflection of the recent American collective? Or are we becoming a reflection of the machinations of our human body politic as represented to us by the media? (Bear in mind the 1997 Barry Levinson motion picture, Wag the Puppy?)

In the wake of our celebration of the signing of our nation’s Declaration of Independence a mere 246 many years ago—what it meant to us then, and what it usually means to us now — and as I look at the damaged reflection we’re presently casting on the watchful eyes of other nations, I’m thinking if we’re seriously all that and a bag of chips, like we’ve been introduced up believing. So assured in our positions of privilege, reason and ability.

Other nations see our authorities perhaps a lot more plainly than we are ready to while sitting less than its great shadow. If additional of us recognized just this much, it would offer that initially thread of commonality it can take to commence the procedure of stitching us back with each other once again as one nation, indivisible.

Lisa Hare, of Merriman, is a former AP journalist and member of the Society of Environmental Journalists. To see more of Lisa’s perform or to make contact with her, stop by lisa-hare.com.