Head in the sand?
Recently, Australian parliamentarian Teresa Gambaro
suggested that migrants be taught about using deodorant and waiting in a que,
and Rick Santorum, an American presidential candidate referred to blacks on
welfare[2]. Gambaro
unreservedly apologised and said she was taken out of context, while Santorum
denies he said the word black. I wonder about the facts, is there a real
deodorant and que problem? NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous, blasted
Mr. Santorum, “In Iowa
Realists in Ancient Egypt
According to the Torah’s account of “social integration” in
ancient Egypt, the truth did not look good. The Hebrews were not going to fit
in, it did not matter how long they were in the country they could still be
described as those “coming to Egypt[4]”
in the present tense, as if they always just arriving[5].
They did not change their language or their names[6]; “They
did not call Reuben, Rufus, nor did they call Shimon, Lulini[7]”.
In contrast to the sexually liberated Egyptians, they had very conservative
attitudes to women; they would not even look at each other’s wives[8].
Shepherding, a common occupation of the migrants, was an abomination to
Egyptians[9].
They were not a marginal group. These outsiders had already
managed to occupy the second highest office in the land, secure the best
agricultural land[10] and they were rich[11]. Their
birth-rate was as high[12] as that
of rodents[13]
to the point where the land was filled with them[14].
It was like an infestation of reeds[15].
Whenever an Egyptian went to get some entertainment they found the theatres
were full of them[16].
These internationalists could also migrate out of the land [17]
of Egypt
Realist and pessimist
Until this week, I would have described myself as a realist
rather than an optimist or pessimist. I do not agree with the idea that if you
think positive thoughts about something you want, “the universe” or God for
that matter will give it to you. There is evidence that pessimists are
generally been better at discerning reality than optimists[19],
at least when thinking about them calmly. On the other hand, pessimists are
more likely to fail to achieve their goals, feel depressed and have poorer
health[20].
I did a test to measure my degree of optimism and pessimism,
particularly the degree to which I think of both good and bad events as being
permanent, pervasive and personal. I found that in some ways I think like an unrealistic
pessimist. With negative events, I have been likely to think of them as reflective
of what happens generally (permanent), as them being part of a broader pattern
rather than isolated to that particular issue (pervasive) and I tend to take
responsibility for it (personal). With positive events, I am more likely to
think of it as a fluke or a lucky break (neither permanent nor personal) and
more specific to that issue rather than thinking of it in a broader sense (not
pervasive). I was not being consistent or logical and that alternative
explanations could be even more realistic so I was free to choose those[21].
Methods for honest positive living
In some cases, our negative perception is backed up by a set
of facts. With those situations, it depends on the context and the timing. If a
lot is at stake, we might do well to take a pessimistic view about the risks,
rather than just hope it will all take care of itself. If we are in a position
to take action and deal with it, we can replace our worry with determination to
address the problem[22]. If
we are worrying about them when we are in middle of something else, it would be
sensible to tell ourselves that this not the time for thinking about this, and
actually schedule an alternative time to deal with it[23].
Other than dealing or delaying dealing with the problem
itself, Selikman’s main strategy for dealing with pessimistic beliefs is disputation
with oneself, which can still be relevant in spite of a negative set of facts. Disputation
has four main components, i) evidence, ii) alternatives, iii) implications and iv)
usefulness. For example, it is late at night, I am feeling washed out and I notice
that I am doing less than my fair share of the house work, so I think I am
lousy person and feel sadder still. I can challenge the idea that I am a lousy
person with evidence; “no I am not a selfish person there are other times
when I do pull my weight or act altruistically, although I can do better in
doing my fair share of house work”. When the evidence is against an
optimistic view, I can still question the usefulness of a negative view,
consider its implications and look for alternative ways of explaining the
event. Eg. seeing myself as a lousy person will not motivate me to do anything
about it, like the Chasidic saying “to be depressed is no a sin, but the harm
it can cause, no sin can cause[24]”.
It is more useful to think of my selfish act as a wrong choice, which I can make
differently next time.
Application to Prejudice – then and now
There is a clear application of these types of arguments to
prejudice, especially the usefulness and implications arguments as well as the
possibility of change. The ancient Egyptians had their negative facts, but in a
remarkable midrash, Pharaoh first tells his people they would be crazy to act
against the nation that produced Joseph who saved them. They responded by
deposing him for three months. He then agreed to see it their way[25],
so he was reinstated as if he was a new king[26] and
became the fear monger in chief. Their conservative family life could be seen as
an asset, people in stable relationships are likely to be less distracted and more
productive at work. Their abundant children and wealth could be seen as opportunities
for Egyptian business, the Hebrews were not shopping on-line! In fact our sages
say that the land was blessed because of the Hebrews[27].
Mr. Santorum is not factually wrong when he refers to blacks
on welfare, nor can one argue with his ethical point about wanting to replace
welfare with work[28]. The
problem is the implication of his statement; it reinforces a negative image of
blacks. A more useful alternative would be to talk about people on welfare
generally and as Mr. Jealous pointed out the total number of whites in this
predicament is greater than that of blacks. If the context was different, if it
was a conference about the welfare of blacks, that statement would have greater
justification. Similarly, I was involved in a work situation where someone who
happened to be a migrant had a problem with hygiene, if this was found to be a broader
problem than addressing this in a focused, tactful way is appropriate. The way it
came across in the media, it reinforced some prejudices about smelly foreigners[29].
The Torah prohibits speaking about the faults of others unless
it is for a legitimate purpose[30],
eg. providing accurate information about a prospective marriage partner or to deal
with a crime. It even avoids denigrating anything, except where this is needed
for a purpose[31]. If we
are convinced of a fault in another group and we can do something practical about
it then we should, otherwise we need to consider additional evidence about whether
it is as pervasive, permanent, or essential to people as it seems. Not
everything that is true is worth saying. We also need to be mindful of the implications
of what we might say and seek the most useful way to talk about it. Often it is
optimistic.
When Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Beditchev saw a wagon-driver,
wearing tallit and tefillin (holy prayer objects, normally only worn
during prayer and treated with respect) whilst oiling the wheels of his
wagon, Reb Levi Yitzchak exclaimed, “What a holy people is Israel! Even when
they oil the wheels of their wagons, they are praying![32]”
[1] Seligman, M, E, P, (1990), Learned
Optimism, Random House , Australia
[4] Exodus 1:1
[5] Rabbi YY Tronk of Kutno, cited in
Greenberg, A. Y., (1992), Torah Gems, Y.
Orenstein Yavneh Publishing, Tel Aviv
[6] Mechilta Mesechta Pesachim Bo 5
[7] Shir Hashirim Rabba, cited in Torah Shlaima,
Shemot, p 9, note that the rejected names were latin, which was relevant to the
times in which this was written
[8] Yelamdenu
[9] Genesis 46:34
[10] Genesis 47:6
[11] Lekach Tov
[12] Midrash Tanchuma Pekudei 9 ,states that
there are some Rabbis who state that they were giving birth twins while others
say they were having sextuplets
[13] Midrash quoted in Rabbenu Bchai, and Daat
Zekainim Mibaalei Hatosafot, cited in Torah Shlaima, Shemot, p 15
[14] Exodus 1:7
[15] Midrash Tanchuma Shemot 5 eg. bamboo is
considered a weed in Australia
[16] Old Midrash Tanchuma Shemot 5
[17] Exodus 1:10
[18] Bchor Shor
[19] Seligman, p.109-111
[20] Seligman
[21] Seligman addresses the question about the
need for taking personal responsibility, which is a strength. In some
situations it is the right way to think about a problem so that we can solve
it. In other situations, one can take a disproportionate amount of
responsibility for things that are not entirely under our own control, in such
cases one cannot correct the problem and instead it is just demoralising and
depressing. A variation of this dilemma is discuss in Tanya, if I see myself as
wicked I will become depressed, but if I am happy despite seeing myself as
wicked then I will become callous or
irresponsible (Rabbi Schenur Zalman of Liadi, chapter 1).
[22] Tanya, Rabbi
Schenur Zalman of Liadi, chapter 31,
[23] Tanya, chapter 26, Seligman p. 218
[24] R. Shlomo of Karlin, http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books/the-chassidic-approach-to-joy/02.htm
same statement with different wording,
[25] Midrash, Shemot Rabba 1:9, Midrash Tanchuma
5
[26] Exodus 1:8, and there arose a new king over Egypt
[27] Midrash Chefetz, from a manuscript cited in
Torah Shlaima, p.18
[28] Mimonedes’ highest level of charity is to
help someone get on to their own feet.
[29] Professor, Andrew Jakubowicz http://www.smh.com.au/national/truss-raps-gambaro-for-migrant-hygiene-remark-20120110-1ptjs.html
[30] Hilchot
Lashon Hara, sefer Chafetz Chaim, http://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/chapter10.html
[31] The Lubavitcher Rebbe
[32] http://www.oztorah.com/2008/10/noah-was-a-righteous-man-noach/
with some variation in details reflecting the way the story was told to me
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