Apr
Love and Hate
Some years ago, there was a man who had talent and potential. He also had a particularly nasty, anti-social habit. It got him into plenty of trouble. The man spent time in local jails for it. Because he was a repeat offender, each new incarceration was longer and longer.
This man claimed that he hated jail. He hated the environment, the rules, the living conditions and his fellow jailbirds. Nonetheless, he would be out of jail a few months, and then get arrested again. It was always the same thing. A relative of his had asked me if I could reason with him. I tried, to no avail. Unfortunately, the man had all the excuses but no good reasons for his behavior.
One thing I told him was: “It looks like you love your crime more than you hate jail.” Indeed, it turned out that in a ten year period, he had spent more than six of them in jails. That was over ten years ago, and I have recently been told that he is in jail again.
There are many things that have consequences. The price of doing one thing means the likelihood of experiencing something else. If you are doing a good thing, the consequences are likely to be good for you. However, bad things entail unpleasant consequences. The man in the example personifies the concept of bad leading to pain.
When you see someone repeatedly face harsh consequences over something stupid, you might surmise that he loves his stupid thing more than he hates the penalty. You might wonder why he would put himself in such jeopardy over something so silly. Do they ask themselves,” Is it worth it?” And even if they did, would it matter? Anyone so bound and determined to risk high penalties for silliness is not amenable to reason.
Actions do speak louder than words. No matter what such people claim, it is in the doing that we know if they love their stupidity more than they hate paying the price.
