"[Snelund's] geniality was replaced by an appearance of concern. His tone sharpened. 'Have you fresh news of the Merseian situation? We're as worried about that as anyone in the Empire, despite our current difficulties.'" (p. 34)
We notice the "appearance." Aaron Snelund is what James Blish used to call a "moral imbecile," incapable of treating other people as anything but means to his own ends. He has caused and is still furthering those "current difficulties" for his own aggrandizement so his apparent concern can only be an elaborate dramatic performance.
I was impressed when a Zen monk addressed our meditation group during a foot-and-mouth crisis. Referring to the farmers who supplied the monastery but who needed to avoid physical contact, she started to say, "We must not appear to be...," but then interrupted and corrected herself: "We must not be insensitive to their situation." (Her emphasis.)
People talk about appearing. The Dharma is about being.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
A psychiatrist, after examining and interviewing Snelund, would probably have concluded he was a sociopath/psychopath. Devoid of and incapable of genuine empathy for anybody else. A wholly conscienceless person. A moral imbecile, as Blish said. Given Snelund's wretched origins in that "sub-Lucifer" on Venus (a not quite satisfactorily terraformed planet), that was no surprise. So, of course Snelund was only pretending concern about the latest trouble with Merseia!
A Buddhist monk can be a woman? Don't you mean a nun? Other books I've read do mention Buddhist NUNS. And most people DO mean "not being insensitive" when talking about not "appearing" to be like that.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
In this particular tradition, the word "monk" is applied to both men and women.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
It still looks odd to me! In the Catholic Church women religious and contemplatives are nuns, not monks. And the heads of women monasteries are abbesses, not abbots.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Yes but usages change.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And not always for the better.
Ad astra! Sean
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