Chime:
Welcome back to “What it is”, where, with stories and poetry, we explore being a person in this world.
And what we might want to do about that together.
I’m Kevin Alan McGill.
Chime:
Okay so, let’s see what we have for this podcast.
Imagine nobody threatening death
Nor lusting for power nor with ill-will borne
But of gentle words upon our breath
And noble acts and love well-worn
But then again, there’s Our World.
Chime:
I’ve been wondering what we can do for a Sour Person.
Because the best word to describe this guy in the news and the life he lives, and wants us to live, is sour.
This guy is all about sarcasm and ridicule, humiliating others, intimidation of and disdain for anyone he deems weak or different or creative or, as you can guess, against bullying. Pretty well everybody except more dangerous bullies.
His communication model is limited to shouting others down and, if they refuse to give in, threatening them with violence.
And, like so many Sour People, he’s managed to get into positions that allow him to make life miserable for others.
So, I’m thinking we need to do something and, as usual, I’m willing to help … but Wow! Where would we start?
I tried out some of the usual factors that might explain such behaviour – Personality Disorder, incomplete developmental stages, childhood abuse issues, traumatic life experiences, ya da, ya da.
Nah, none of that worked for me.
Sour, sour worked. I had heard that someone can meet all their psychological emotional relationship needs by a negative just as well as a positive. And with this guy, theory meets real life. He is just a sour person living a sour life and getting all his needs met doing so.
And maybe that is the key. Sour People are still people. This guy has the same feelings of insecurity and inadequacy that all of us self-aware humans experience from time to time. And that creates defense mechanisms.
Sour may be his safe place.
His rejection of humanity shields him from scary thoughts.
If that’s true, how do you give someone a sense of humanity who actively rejects the very value of such?
I don’t have three ghosts to send out on a rescue mission Christmas Eve.
So, what to do, what to do?
We can’t let him keep running around loose, wreaking havoc on the rest of us. What if he found a partner and created even more people like him? That’s what they do you know. Pretty soon our world would be overrun with Sour People.
Brain surgery? Medication restraints? Jail? Nah, those take away humanity. Anyways those are Sour People solutions.
How about a ‘spoonful of sugar”? If life gives you lemons make lemonade! We’ll kill that sourness with kindness.
But then again kindness is one of those elements Sour People disdain. Kind people are weak people.
Well, compassion separates the rest of us from the Sour People. So, we need to keep trying.
Unfortunately, like other emotional disorders, we may have to wait until they burn themselves out or life itself somehow reduces the value of their Sourness.
However, in the meantime, please people, let’s stop putting Sour People in charge, okay?
Chime:
Okay so, such are the words of a Storyteller Poet who has learned the value of a poem, the worth of a story.
To those who wish to strip us of our humanity, I say “not today”.
And hey, if you are concerned with the state of our democracies, check out my Democracy Page atkevinalanmcgill.com
Thank you for listening. Let’s get together again to explore more “what it is”.
(Theme Music)