Posted on by Abe Austin

The Games That Matter

It is better to be taken advantage of than to take advantage
Better to lose unfairly than to cheat
Better to trust than avoid betrayal
Better to forgive than demand justice

These are hard ideals to live by. They leave us open to being manipulated in the games of life and may very well result in a losing position. But if you play games whose outcome can be manipulated, then it’s a game that doesn’t really matter. If cheaters can get ahead in that game, then winning the game brings no honor and losing it brings no shame.

There are other games that you can play, ones that truly matter. You will know what they are by the fact that no one else can ever make you lose your place, only you.

Posted on by Abe Austin

The Narrowing of Privilege- Part Two

A Word Maligned)

With my last post I began my exploration of “privilege,” a word that has come to have a particularly negative connotation in recent years. I gave three definitions and uses of the word that defy that narrow connotation, though, showing three positive aspects of privilege. In short, those conceptions of privilege were:

  1. A joyful obligation
  2. The reward for hard labor
  3. A gift handed down by the honest labor of one’s forebearers

Today we will look at two more definitions of privilege, then finally conclude our analysis of the word.

Two More Forms of Privilege)

Fourth, each of us are born with certain advantages built into us, certain talents and proclivities that are innate within us, things that neither we nor our ancestors made happen for us, but which give us an advantage in life. It might be a girl born with a beautiful face, or a boy born with a sharply analytical mind. It might be a rich child with an unusually charitable disposition, or a poor child born with uncharacteristic determination. These are gifts that bestow opportunities beyond one’s first demographic.

Note that this still isn’t the sort of definition that is more and more commonly used as a pejorative in our society. For these are not systemic, socially-constructed advantages, but virtues given by God. They are gifts that we do not control the placement of, and which are sprinkled across all demographics and all walks of life.

Finally, with our fifth definition, we do come to the meaning of the word “privilege” that is intended to humble the proud. Some people have a privilege that is based upon no virtue, no effort, no obligation, and no gift from their forebearers. In every land and in every time, certain people have been exalted above others, giving them advantages for no other reason than their identification with a favored group. No population has been innocent of this sort of preferential treatment, and through the push and pull of society, the pendulum has swung to favor each side in turn. Though all may get their time in the light at one point or another, it isn’t fair that it is isolated to one type of people at a time.

Conclusion)

The main point that I wanted to call attention to is how “privilege” is a complex word, that is actively being pared down to only a fraction of its original meaning. It is becoming nothing more than an epithet, which makes us all dumber by removing our ability to have alternative and nuanced meanings.

Beware the trends that seek to flatten, twist, or erase words. The maligning of a language might seem an inconsequential thing, but our minds are in large part made up of the language we speak, and so it is our own selves who end up being flattened and twisted and erased.

As it stands, I’m grateful and proud for the vast majority of the privileges that I enjoy. I’m proud of the happy obligations I take on to provide for my family, and proud of the rewards I receive for my hard labor. I’m grateful for the gifts given to me by the sacrifices of my forebears, and grateful for the gifts God has seen fit to bestow upon me. The only privilege I feel askance towards is anytime I benefit absent any of the channels mentioned above, when I receive something just because I belong to some group identity.

I thank God that I at least have enough nuance left in me to tell the difference.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Genesis 34:18, 20, 22-24

18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.

20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,

22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.

23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.

24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.

Shechem and Hamor returned to their city and explained with delight how simple a task the sons of Jacob had delivered them. All they had to do was circumcise themselves, and then they would be able to marry the Israelites’ daughters and siphon their wealth to themselves.

Which is another example of the unworthy motivations in these men. They aren’t talking about this as if it would be a mutual partnership, they aren’t discussing ways that they will be able to support and grow the Israelite community as well, they are solely focused on how they can profit themselves at the others’ expense.

Thus, it is their blind greed that ultimately leads them to their demise. It seems the defining characteristic of these men is that they are so anxious to take advantage of others that they don’t realize when they’re the ones being taken advantage of instead.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Genesis 27:41-42

41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

The idea of feuding brothers seems to be a recurring theme in the Old Testament. First Cain and Abel, then Ishmael and Isaac, now Jacob and Esau. And in each of these cases either one of the brothers had to leave to preserve the peace, or else a death occurred.

Soon we will also have Joseph’s brothers contemplating murdering him and selling him into Egypt. It seems that Jesus was also rejected by his own brothers. In the Book of Mormon Nephi is conspired against by his brothers Laman and Lemuel. And multiple times we will hear of princes that slay their brethren to take the throne for themselves.

The feuding of brothers is representative of the struggle between all mankind. There is a natural competition within us. Perhaps every child is born equal, but quickly we become aware of all the things that we do not have, and we strive for the advantage over each other.

Even Jesus’s disciples had a competitive spirit, wondering which of them would be greatest in their master’s kingdom, and Jesus had to curtail that rivalry. He reproved them and also assured them with the words “In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). Which to me is a message of how Heaven is not like earth. Its resources and inheritances are infinite, so competition has no purpose. In Heaven there is room enough for us all.