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Is a habit bad if it’s useful? 

I ask because the expectation to be nice and polite has over and again run cross-grain for me. Just the other day I was halted by the speech of someone in full cry about society’s unfairness to them, their group and all on the margins. 

There are margins, thinks I, because we won’t all fit on the middle, and a large heaping pack of us don’t wish to. And what exactly is wrong with being on the margin? We each have to be somewhere, so what’s the problem with being where you are when you’re there? Center stage is not the sole performer nor the only worthy, necessary, useful role. 

‘Pears to me complaint about margin status is much more than less a desire for more attention. I’m tempted to quip recognition requires accomplishment, but it doesn’t.

Often all that’s needed for recognition is you ‘n me, audience politely listening and uh-huhing. The complainant drawing my attention appeared well nourished and healthy. Presentable enough to draw attention. Plus (let offensiveness begin) a costly, time-consuming hairdo, along with body jewelry and extensive art doesn’t stand well with “poor me.” Don’t know what to say. 

Does marginalizing require heavy spending of money and time on appearance. What distinguishes suffering versus posturing? Best I could say of the complainant was they appeared to be quite a sincere phony. 

See, that’s nice.

In Iron Ranger mode (not my standard) I might suggest the issue as I see it reflected in the above two paragraphs is a result of self-deification. When the standard becomes individual feelings we enter the territory of Can’t Win. 

Not a new thing, there are some excellent examples of rulers who became gods to guide us. Ancient Rome’s Nero is a fantastic model. Started out OK, sort of, but when a streak of godliness runs amuck, wow, impressive. His guards did him in. Can see why. When an eats and defecates divinity murders a wife, saves her head, and then castrates a boy to serve as a wife stand-in for another wife (complicated, huh) you can see why others might grow tired of such behavior. Living gods frequently become bad deals. 

Not a problem for us, though, right, who don’t believe gods? Not entirely. Turns out dictatorship in most any form does an admirable job taking on the god role. No way around it, even benign sounding dictatorship of the people has a dictator in there. If not in the form of one voice, a committee of voices gives competing gods, not that well-intended idealists would ever be humanly flawed with ordinary competition. 

A complaint, by itself, is a weak thing. Yelling, cursing or insisting do not make a complaint any more valid. Ever. (How many sad times did I have to tell young dramatics that loud was not an emotion.) 
Complaining constructively (with calmness and openness to explanation) is a better tactic, though when dealing with individual, corporate or governmental self-deified demi-gods you may stand the same chance as trying to pause gravity or get ahead of the gluttonous at desert time. 

Odd things can even become policy, regulation or law if, f’r example, enough gluttons got together for the cause of making up for their discriminatory unpopularity garnished with the notion gluttons naturally deserve more, are entitled to more and should have more. 

Or maybe the time-honored practice of robbery/thievery needs attention after many centuries of oppression. It’s a crook’s professional vocation to steal. Who are we to deny them their due? 
The self-affirmed god path can go many lively places because human godheads only need loudness or the backing of external power for the “boss” the be correct.

On my part of the Range there was at times considerable contention and friction between groups or communities sharing the same general business and wanting to retain a better position for themselves. As back-and-forth conflicts these things are to be expected. 

Enter a self-anointed god and that god’s assumptions miraculously (god work, that) become truths with potent result. If you expect give-and-take you might go wanting because certain god-things aren’t open to debate or discussion. Don’t question the gods. 

When gods decree the righteousness of multi culturalism you’re advised to concur. Do not question a god decree. You can be prepared with secure info and quality argument comparing multiethnic to multi culture. Won’t matter because societal or political god beliefs can’t be bothered to was time and effort better put to promoting their correctness than listening to any non-god notions. The societal difference, as I see it, between being multiethnic and multi-cultural is huge. But the decision on which is worthy of your devotion has been made for you because I’m writing here betting most of us haven’t heard a word regarding multiethnic societies. Unquestioning gods don’t have time for ungodly dissent. 

Rule via noisy self-assured proclamation is dangerous to liberty by allowing authority to enter by a side door and take the seat of god, king or judge before there’s been discussion, much less any critical review. When supported by an acknowledging system, authority settles in quite nicely to defend and enrich itself. No lack of knowledge or understanding is impossible to hurrah when a god-belief says “Cheer, peasants, cheer.” Not wanting the execution axe to fall on us, we cheer, we go along. A lack of knowing, of knowledge, better serves the god cause. 

F’r instance, again, you’ve heard fascist as right or far right wing. But no. Gentile, a contemporary and supporter of Marx developed fascism as his take on practical socialism. Italian and German socialism gave it a try while the Soviet Socialists went communist. 

Teaming business with government is highly fascist in inclination and not a bit rare. 

Words of caution I think necessary remind me to not make the error of seeking to replace the godhead of others with my own self-deified notions. Seems to me that’s a true danger. Maybe material success has pushed aside the hard work of being citizens with the willingness and skill needed to think before acting.