I looked in my dictionary to review the definition of the word meekness as I set up this blog today. I wanted to make sure that it meant exactly what I thought it would. The first definition was what I thought it to mean--humbly patient and not inclined to anger or resentment (paraphrased). But to my surprise, there was a sub-definition that described meek as "too submissive; spineless; spiritless." Spineless? Spiritless? Really? So, I looked up the definition of spineless to see what I would find. After all of the anatomical definitions, the last one read, "lacking moral fiber; without courage or will power." Is that what people think of when they hear or use the word meekness?
Some of you might be thinking, "So, what's the big deal." I guess some would not find it a big deal, but this is not the only case that I have encountered such frivolous attention to words and their meanings. It is all too often that I hear someone use a word that means something different, or that they believe has a different meaning than the general understanding of the word. As a culture we have become loose with our language, and our "you believe what works for you and I'll believe what works for me" mentality has embedded itself therein. This is not a good thing! If you believe a word means one thing, and I believe differently, that leaves us with having to learn each others personally hypothetical dictionaries just so that we can communicate. Is this where we want to head? Do you want people to misunderstand you? Do you want to have to ask every person what exactly they mean by a certain word, so that you can understand them?
Ultimately, it comes down to an agreement of the existence of a form of truth. Which reveals why things are going the way they are; the farther we go, the less the general population agrees that forms of truth exist. Truth has lost its importance, and in turn, it is losing its structure. People are not concerned with what is true; they are concerned with idleness, philanthropy, "tolerance" (which is often intolerable of others), and fictional interactions based on fantasy and virtuality. Why do so many people walk around with earplug stuffed heads? People used to look forward to talking with strangers traveling in the same direction. Now we are too worried that someone might disenfranchise us from our selfishness.
Where does this tie into meekness? In the way that it is too hard to talk about one thing without something else rearing its head into the topic. We do not live in a world where things stand alone; everything ties into something else and there is only chaos in all of this commotion unless we have something at the center of everything. But, would that something matter to you if it cost you this world? If there is truth that is structured and holds the utmost of importance, would you want that? Or would you be satisfied with the limited, temporary, twitter-pated pseudo-pleasures of this world?
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I find that definition of meekness to be interesting, particularly the sub point.
ReplyDeleteI would also comment that, in relation to the second to last paragraph, that people are not just worried about their bubble of selfishness, but also we are also raised in the age of paranoia; as kids know so well, stranger danger!