Resisting the urge to feel smug

Here is today's brief post from Seth Godin (who blogs every day and has done so for over a dozen years):

"It’s useful and satisfying to have people go along with your wishes and your taste.

"But hoping that they’ll be delighted to do so and thank you for pointing out their previous errors might be asking for too much.

"It’s one thing for people to act as if you’re right. It’s a whole other thing for them to acknowledge that they are wrong. It might not be worth what it costs to achieve."

He rarely comments directly on politics or a specific event, preferring larger points that a reader can adapt as desired to their lives. 

So, I had two immediate reactions:

1. If one of my writing students submitted this as a draft, I would respond with "these are compelling claims but where is your support?" In other words, one of my themes in teaching any sort of writing is that no matter how "true" our claims may be, they are not as convincing as they could be without specific examples taken from personal experience, observation, or research. It's not up to the readers to supply their own examples.
2. I immediately plugged in the chaos of Republican senators arguing with Trump's stooge Blance about the proposed "settlement" with the IRS. Everything about this stinks of corruption, not to mention hubris. The hubris grows from the sin of pride, where Trump and his minions believe there is nothing they can't get away with at this point. Evidently, some sort of line was crossed with many among the 53 Trump toadies who, until now, have just nodded and avoided blame and generally refused to even offer a timid question about their Dear Leader's insanity. 

And THAT led me to imagining some future where many Americans (even cowardly politicians) will feel regret over allowing a wannabe king undermine our nation. I know. Science fiction stuff.

And THEN I thought that Seth's advice will come in handy. At some point, despite having been "right" for so long and despite enduring endless humiliations both great and small, anyone who might be termed "anti-Trump" or anti-oligarchy or anti-fascist would do well to simply offer quiet thanks. They must resist the urge to force public repentence.

Even in my youth, when I went to confession regularly as a good Catholic boy should, the reality was that my pitiful little "sins" were expressed through a screen in a darkened box to an anonymous priest. There was no command to later exit the little box and proclaim my latest "I had impure thoughts five times" admission. 

By the way, some of my male friends advised me that "impure thoughts" was the perfect sin to confess. Vague but clearly, well, not right. But also so common that the priest would hardly notice. Most of the time my penance would be ten Hail Marys and an act of contrition... recited silently in a pew in the back of the church. 

And then I could exit the building and go in search of my next impure thought.

I see a parallel with all the deluded Trumpers who will at some point develop amnesia about some of the worst of their behaviors. 

It would be nice if they all could have some quick and painless process to "confess," quietly and superficially, and then move on with their lives. 

I don't need their apologies. I want to see different behaviors. 

But I will confess that I will privately feel inordinate joy.