Better World Series: Better Thoughts, Words, and Acts

"If a man can become aware, at every moment of his life, that his thoughts, his words, and his acts link him to his fellow man and also to his past and his future, he will easily understand that it depends upon him to build his happiness or his misfortune."
(Lecture given in Montevideo, October 4th, 1947 by Carlos Bernardo Gonzalez Pecotche*)

"...It should be made very clear that errors are not only expressed in actions but also in word and in thought. A mistaken thought can induce one to incur into an error unless it is discovered in time and neutralized or annulled before it takes shape and manifests itself in one of the multiple acts that occur in life.

Continuing on the subject of errors, let me add that they are often invisible to those who commit them because the person's very same inner state of intoxication which results from the overestimation of himself, impedes seeing them. In saying intoxication I refer to the opposite of common sense, for if the person were truly in command of his senses he would judge himself more sensibly, more humanely as he realizes that his lack of confidence in acting correctly, exposes him to error.

Naturally, to be able to judge oneself fairly one must cultivate the sense of precision, that is, the decision in regulating the movements of the thought, of the word and of the acts; this will reveal, for example, that what is done precipitously, by impulse, passion or induced by a moment of excessive enthusiasm, always lead, with some logically exceptions, to error.

The person who sets out to achieve a purpose must not overlook the image, whatever that may be, that has been attracting his attention at that moment, as well as his responsibility regarding his acts, thoughts, and words. He must be particularly aware that, when these materialize, sooner or later, the favorable or unfavorable consequences will ensue. This will eliminate the habit of accusing others of what one has done.

All I have been saying should bring to everyone's reflection that the error is human, and as a human, the tolerance should also be human. When tolerance is humane, it is equally human and reasonable that human beings help each other if not to correct their error, but at least to avoid them since every error that is avoided is one less evil in the future.

The lack of responsibility in affirming what one says is one of many errors that produce confusion, seeds distrust, and promotes prejudices.

Such foolishness that inverts the truth, makes one believe that an ever greater lie will erase the previous one. But this is not so, because the size of lies will never destroy the ones expressed previously which will remain in effect. Proof of that is given by what occurred to a celebrity, who does not exist anymore, who once said that big lies were necessary to convince a crowd. These lies finally imprisoned him and made him end his days in panic which was provoked by his own lies, because he had unleashed with them a force that consumed and exterminated him. This explains how a person can unleash forces with his lies that later turn violently against him, precisely when he least expected it and when he most ardently desired to distance himself from evil. A lie is like a ball whose bounce is as strong as the impetus it receives.

In order to explain further certain contradictions presented by the human being in his thoughts and conduct, it will be sufficient to visualize the image that depicts him as half reality and half fiction. One will see in it how often are produced the so-called "misunderstandings" or erroneous interpretations which occur as the person, in more than one instance, acts only with one part of the two halves; and we know only too well how an idea, influenced by excessive enthusiasm or by illusion can be inflated. This also makes it difficult for a person to build a solid and unalterable concept of himself. Later on, upon reviewing his behavior throughout his life, he will realize the need to actively and constantly improve it since the result of thoughts, words and acts is what inspires respect and trust. Both respect and trust are built by the continuous repetition of acts of good, since nobody replaces the material used to build part of his house (prestige) with another of inferior quality, if what was used withstands tornadoes.

The above mentioned duality obliges the person to maintain continuously a self-control and in the struggle against this artificial half he will be able to develop the part that assures him the possession of good in his life and allows him to overcome adversity. The constant determination of self improvement is the dynamo that moves man's will toward the conquest of his moral integrity.

If everyone gave serious attention to this and cared for truth to always triumph over his thoughts and behavior, he will discover, in the course of his endeavor, how easier it will be to position himself in his reality because it will be reality itself then that will govern his acts. How many people who live in an apparent truth, must contradict themselves at every opportunity...

If man can become aware, at every moment of his life, that his thoughts, his words and his acts link him to his fellow man and also to his past and to his future, he will easily understand that it depends upon him to build his happiness or his misfortune. The improvement of human qualities is certainly not an easy task, nevertheless the result is amply compensated by the good that favors such undertaking.

In reviewing his qualities man must not over-estimate the value of his own concept. It is preferable to let others set the scale regarding the values of his merits; in this way, he will know how to regulate his behavior so that this part, existing in him, blooms every day giving him one more flower of happiness to decorate his life with, a life that is so distressed, so painfully lived on account of, I repeat, the evils suffered as a result of past errors and of those presently committed.

Every day that passes makes it more necessary for man to confront his own behavior with that which mankind is living in order to see if it were possible to reduce this huge mountain of errors that threaten to crush the world; it would be an easy thing to do if by making an effort to reduce it he behaves as he should, as the law demands it: truly and loyally.

Therefore, do what is indispensable so that the happy air of peace may soon be breathed into the world. In order to accomplish this, it will be sufficient that only a handful of people set their determination to ensure that many more follow this example.

To make future generations happier than ours will be the greatest prize one can aspire to. There is no value comparable to the accomplishment of this great mission which consists in preparing, for the future of mankind, a better world."

*Excerpt from the book "An Introduction to Logosophical Cognition"originally published in Spanish. Official Translation.

Comments

Contact Us

Name

Email *

Message *