The idea for today’s blog came while watching an episode of Suits (8.6 in IMDb) on Netflix. This TV series is about a law firm, its partners, its clients, its competitors and – most of all – about Knowledge and Power. Suits shows that Knowledge equals Power. The series also shows that both Knowledge and Power can be used for good and – more often – bad purposes. Bad deeds sow the seeds for Revenge & Retaliation: what goes around, comes around.
A good and bad soul as well as deeds, words and thoughts are key concepts in Zoroastrianism, which connects the ancient Sumerian beliefs about our soul to the Abrahamic religions of today (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). There 5 elements offer numerous choices in life, including deception: a mix of good deeds with bad thoughts (a.k.a. intentions).
Karma translates as action, activity or deed. Wiki: “Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering.” The concept of karma shows that thoughts, words and deeds are a trinity.
The most remarkable thing about karma is that we generally believe that bad karma exists while we generally doubt that good karma can be achieved. Our belief in bad karma withholds many of us from doing bad deeds with bad intentions. Our doubts about good karma makes altruism a rare quality in humans (my 2016 blog on altruism).
The result is that many of us stay in a neutral zone by abstaining from both bad and good karma. Both bad and good karma would then be the deviation from the 95% average. Perhaps this is evidence of the mediocrity principle (see yesterday’s blog) and/or of Pascal’s Wager, which poses that humans apply a no-risk strategy on the existence of God.
In my 2017 blog on Advantage vs Empathy, I concluded that humans are driven by gaining advantage in life. Our relentless drive for advantage is what separates us from any other species on this planet. Striving for advantage and bad karma go well together (eg, crime). Advantage and good karma may seem an unusual combination. I know that it’s not.
The above translates in my diagram to the right. The word “advantage” is pictured outside the trinity of deeds, words and thoughts.
I think, feel and believe that advantage draws a thin line between bad and good karma and/or soul.
In the words of the famous Dutch soccer player and coach Johan Cruijff (1947-2016): “Every disadvantage has its [own unique] advantage.” The concept behind his words is beautiful.
What goes around …. comes around (2006) by Justin Timberlake
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