I was recently intrigued by an episode of RadioLab Podcast, exploring lying and liars. The episode concluded with a study indicating that mildly lying to yourself actually leads to more happiness and success. This lines up with other research claiming that depressed people are actually really good realists; they see reality more accurately.
The rest of us look at life through rose-colored glasses.
So depending on how you want to look at it, these studies illustrate either the power of positive thinking…or the power of delusional thinking! Whether you want to call it spin, positive thinking, self-deception or information gatekeeping, this talent is certainly lucrative.
Our capitalist pay structures don’t reward honesty of heart. They’re set up to reward strength, endurance, intelligence, agility and creativity. (Talent might accompany character, but it certainly doesn’t cause or even correlate with character.)
Generally, the wily win, and the meek of heart get nurses and teachers’ salaries. Government Service lawyers get shafted. Corporate law brings in the big bucks. The overworked rural missionary doctor gets to keep his conscience. The big-city plastic surgeon gets to keep his mansion and his country club membership.
Meritocracy works with a slant. Meritocracy doesn’t value compassion in the way of Oscar Wilde’s Happy Prince (from Wilde’s synonymous short story).
The Happy Prince is a gold-plated statue in a town square. He repeatedly asks his friend, the Swallow, to pluck treasure from his body and to distribute it to the poor. His eyes are sapphires, and they too get plucked out so that his friend the Swallow has to see on behalf of him. In the end both the Swallow and the prince die happy but inglorious deaths; they have each other, and they have the joy of a generous spirit.
The rational capitalist looks at the Happy Prince and says “See? That’s what comes of foolish investment decisions”.
So we come full circle. I’ve slipped the rose-colored glasses off my face and I have dashed them to the ground. My sober view of reality leads me down the garden path to depression. The cynic in me looks at the Happy Prince and says “See? That’s why he died happy; he was deceived. He lied to himself about the benefits of generosity and compassion.”
All is lain bare. At this point, might it be convenient to simply retreat back into the warm folds of self-deception?
But a larger deception needs to be blown open. Did you catch it?
It is this fallacy, subtly undergirding my entire argument, suffocating my train of thought with its invisible tentacles: the assumption that money and fame are valuable. In fact, perhaps our most intense universal human pathology is a too-small definition of value. We limit greatness within the paltry bounds of our paychecks.
Wilde’s story doesn’t actually end as I’ve told it. Have a leisurely read and enjoy.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:45-46