" I love mankind, it's people I can't stand." Linus in Peanuts
Charles Schultz
Did you know that today, January 29, 2013, is National Curmudgeon Day in honor of the birthday of that great American curmudgeon W. C. Fields?
What a great word, curmudgeon. Let it roll around in your mouth before letting it go. Cur mudg eon: definition: bad-tempered; difficult; cantankerous; grumpy; negative; pessimist; surly; an ill tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions. Okay, we get the idea, not a very pleasant sort of fellow. Fellow is the right choice of word since this condition is usually associated with old men.
And yet, could there be a redeeming value to being a curmudgeon? W. C. Fields had a very successful career by being a curmudgeon who used his keen insight to lampoon the societal hypocrisies of his day. Two other curmudgeon hall of famers, the Grinch and Scrooge, also gave us insight into our beliefs and customs.
Curmudgeon has such a craggy complexity to it as opposed to the shiny, silky, smooth surface of the word saint. Since I am the hesitant saint, it should come as no surprise to any of you that I would find the curmudgeon side of the equation far more fascinating. And since they say that confession is good for the soul, I must confess that I have been referred to on occasion as cynical, negative and pessimistic when my views have too vigorously challenged the status quo. Yes moi, quelle horreur!
Wielding the sword of truth is a delicate matter. Used with just the right degree of irony it can cause a slight irritation that brings a sudden release of insight and a burst of laughter. Used with too much intentionality and it causes massive bleeding and brings about recoil and rejection. Point lost; lesson learned. To be effective, use with caution gently.
As with everything in life, there must be a balance. The Tao shows the principle of how everything carried to its extreme changes into its opposite. Life is a continuum, a flow; there is no beginning or ending. Just as we need the saintly part of ourselves so do we need to embrace the curmudgeonly side as well to bring all into balance. To hold too rigidly to either side without the harmonizing other is to become stuck and not a full expression of who we really are. So what better day to get in touch with your inner "butthead," as a good friend of mine has affectionately called his inner curmudgeon, and discover what truth it has for you than today? You may be amazed. I always am and again I must confess, what fun.
To add to today's celebration here is a link to Albert Finney singing "I Hate People" in his Golden Globe winning performance of Scrooge. I always find the lyrics hysterical because they skewer all of us and our self-righteous behavior. So go ahead and have a good laugh today at all of our expense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODjDz_6SWik
