The Social Animal

"Man is a social animal." Why do we have that silly phrase? I've never understood it. Every time I've heard it used has been in the context of 'Why we need friends,' or some random conversation with a teacher about my introversive behavior. I've never understood this supposed tendency that people apparently have to make friends, make small talk… etc… Several of my friends swear this is an actual phenomenon, and I will take their word for it. Maybe I'm just weird for not experiencing it.

Or gifted.

It's a sort of improvement, isn't it? I mean, I would last longer in solitary confinement that most people. Course, the fact that I have fewer friends means I have less of a job to maintain my 'image' in front of them. And since 90% of crime is committed to feed one's pride, the odds of me landing up in solitary confinement are slim.

Rats. Talent wasted.

By the by, if you have trouble grasping irony, and are currently wondering why I am wasting my life blogging about my prison aspirations, instead of sitting and studying like a good boy… then you are my mother. Stop reading.

But… yes… being an introvert, or anti-social, whatever… is definitely better than feeling uncomfortable when you have nothing to say. That's just silly. A silence isn't awkward. It means no one's gossiping (which is what most 'small talk' is about) and inadvertently assassinating other people's character. That's a good thing. Nothing to feel awkward about. If you must talk… talk about something that matters… 'Big talk', if you will. A much better use of your time. Who knows, the guy whose mother you have never met, and whose health you couldn't care less about, but which you are currently inquiring about right now, may have some interesting thoughts on the obliteration of corruption in India today.

I should really learn to think in small sentences.

Coming back to the concept of man's social activity, and the stereotypical phrases associated with it… I think this lie that man is a social animal has led to people making more 'friends' than they actually need, and fewer friends than they require.

"Ah ha!" You say, "So we do need friends then!"

Of course we need friends. I'm not a complete ass. My point is, though unconditional love is a necessary requirement, too few of our 'friends' love us that way. Family, should, technically be all you need... while making allowances for those rare friends who 'stick closer than a brother'. Sadly the modern concept of family and friends has led to the emotionally detached modern family and the increasingly isolated individual.

And our world is made up of such individuals.

So how do we face such a world?

We could band together to resurrect the original concept of relationships, where we give priority to family, and have very few friends, and a very large chasm between them and the rest of our acquaintances

OR

We could stay in our rut and have a million friends and pretend like we want to adapt to a world that has nothing in common with us other than we think it is 'good to have many friends'

OR

We could just learn to live without a million friends, be labeled a social misfit, and work at the Plan A individually.

Justice

So, I was reading John Piper's sermon on Final Judgment (Eternal Life vs. Wrath and Fury) and it got me thinking… how much do I worship God for who he is, rather than who I make him out to be? This wasn't the point of the sermon at all, Piper does it a lot better presentation of his point than I could… check out the sermon here, but this is a Psalm that I wrote, while contemplating God's Justice.

Notice I use a mixture of archaic English and modern English. It refers to the God of old, the King, who I serve, and the God I know: my Father, and my Redeemer. (I don't individualize them in the Psalm… there is only one God… the God of Justice.

God of Justice

When I was a boy,

I thought of childish things

I was not strong

I was not shrewd

My heart had not been tempered by the world

To accept the things I could not change,

And neglect the things I could

When there were more important things to do.

But oh! My innocence was pure, Lord!

And I longed for justice.

As I grew,

I found that I could be wrong too

And the flame of right grew dim

The cold wind of compromise

Whistled through my life.

It was only right that things be fair sometimes.

But Thou, O Lord, art unchanging.

Yesterday, today, and forever, the same.

Thou sought after Thy own righteousness then

And Thy eyes still scan the earth for men

Whose heart is one with Thine.

I wouldst Thou wouldst not see mine

For Thou knowest it lies.

But Thou art pure, even when I am not

Thy motives are true, Thy character, perfect

Thou art Just, my creator

Thou art fair

Impartial, as only God can be

I love Thy ways.

Where should I go but to Thee,

For honesty, for clarity?

Thy eyes are unblemished, untainted, un-tinted, unmasked.

Thou sees all things as they are

And calls them by their names.

Thou art Faithful and True.

What is Truth, except You?

And yet, so full of Grace,

As if Truth, without Love, were not Truth.

And abounding in Mercy

For no reason, other than that Thou art Merciful.

Thou art Love, and I love you, my King.

Thou art Holy, teach me Thy ways

Thou art Merciful, and I have time to learn

Thou art Gracious, and I am drunk with the Joy of Thy presence

But oh! Thou art Just!

The nations rage, they plot, they scheme against you

The Rock will crush them,

And I marvel at his splendor

I rejoice in Thy ways

The objective truth of the math

From which, only by Grace, I am saved.

Plans

Plans are as you make them. They are totally in your control. You can dream, you can wish, you can imagine, and no one can stop you.

Once you try to put your plans into action, however, you are subjecting them to a host of circumstances that can and will work against them. They will snap and take and bend and break and thoroughly dessimate your plans until they are barely recognizable as the bright dream you once nurtured and grew.

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain who build it.

And, like a child entering the world, wretched, helpless and pitiful, your plans pass this test.

And it's worth it.