The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in one solitary and even humble individual – for it is in the solitary mind and soul of the individual that the battle between good and evil is waged and ultimately won or lost.
–M. Scott Peck, The People of the Lie (1983)
I thought since many of us are experiencing extreme heat, that the painting above from my current show at the Principle Gallery, The Heart Warms, would provide a cool respite. But the meaning behind this piece for me has little to do with air temperatures.
I see it as being about the difference one caring and empathetic person can make in a world that often seems uncaring and sometimes outright hostile.
A warm heart willing to stand apart in a cold world.
I used a passage from the late M. Scott Peck, who is best known for his book The Road Less Traveled. This is from his The People of the Lie which is an examination of evil based on his experiences as a clinical psychiatrist. Peck, who died in 2005, noted that a lack of empathy is among a list of prevalent traits among he observed in those who could be categorized as evil. It’s an interesting list (you can find it on Peck’s Wikipedia page under Theories) that seems to fit a certain narcissistic presidential candidate to a tee, even though it was written in 1983.
He also writes about how mass movements and crowds that arise behind leaders with these characteristics often cause their followers to lose or set aside their empathy and personal sense of personal responsibility. Sounds familiar, here in the moment and in every authoritarian regime throughout history.
That’s why the single caring person willing to stand against malignant ignorance (Peck’s term) of the crowd is vital in defeating all forms of evil. And that’s what I am seeing here, a reminder to stand against such evils. To be indifferent at such a time is to set aside any empathy one might possess, to deny the importance and power of one’s own singular voice.
Again, a lot to ask of a simple painting. You might not see it that way at all and like it for other reasons. Or not. That is the way of art.
Here’s a song to go with this all. It’s a lovely and moving performance of the classic Ben E. King song, Stand By Me, from Tracy Chapman. It was from a performance in 2015 during the last few months of the David Letterman show. Good stuff.
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