The venomous barbarism that is one's exercised power over another in the superficial context of our day-to-day human interactions, though hard for the oppressed to ignore, is (for the oppressor) essentially meaningless. It will not guarantee their spot in heaven, nor will it serve a greater (or even a lesser) good, nor will it assure any kind of lasting, worthy legacy. Power is exercised to give meaning to an individual ego within their community or culture at the expense of the masses.
I am coming to see that my biggest challenge as a human is to deny my individuality; and to deny my community; and to deny my culture; and to deny humanity; and to acknowledge that I am (and we are) a minute, infinitesimal part of something that is so much larger; and to act accordingly. This ‘something’ that is so much larger is so large as to be essentially incomprehensible, thus my inclination to find purpose and meaning in myself, my community, my culture, humanity. Regarding my humanity, even in the context of being benevolent, kind, humane, if I don’t acknowledge this ‘something’ that is so much larger I will direct my goodwill only toward my fellow human in the context of being human which today is in the context of capitalism, consumerism, wealth and power; and this context is short-sighted. So yes, I must find a way to deny my humanity yet still make a positive difference, no matter how small, minute, or infinitesimal. I can still be courteous and respectful; and I can still play at our day-to-day contextual superficiality; but I have to also make the effort to somehow account for the much larger context. In fact, it is the short-sighted context of capitalism, consumerism, wealth and power that is consistently discourteous, disrespectful, unkind, and inhumane. And within this callous lack of compassion I am (rightfully) reminded of my inconsequentiality while oppressors with power misinterpret their pretentious superficiality as superior entitlement and purpose. To work at understanding a much larger context would help them to see the essential equality from one individual to the next regardless of the (often meaningless) part they play in today's human context. This in turn would encourage one to expend effort helping those who struggle in their day-to-day human individuality.
Some may look at these thoughts and interpret a traditional God and religion as that ‘something’ that is so much larger, but that perspective is also narrow and exclusive because up to now it has focused largely or completely on factions and dividing even the somewhat larger (still superficial) context of all humanity and completely ignoring the totality of the actual ‘something’ that is so much larger.
To make God all about Humanity is to insult God.
