If we help
others to hurt someone, we become harmful ourselves. We become
"Enablers" [1] to those hurting others. Without our consent, the
aggressor could not have taken advantage of his weaker neighbor.
The Eastern religions, particularly Zen Buddhism, which is intimately
associated with the Samurai warrior of Japan, take great care to teach
tranquility and self-control in the use of force. Anger is not a part
of thoughtful action.
Aikido, The Way of Harmony, teaches tranquility in the use of force,
and compares it to the calm in the eye of a hurricane.[2]
The great Christian pastor, Dietrich Bonhoffer, pointed out that "just
causes" for anger did not exist in the earliest accounts of Christ's
Sermon on the Mount.[3]
* * * * *
Dealing with Interpersonal Conflict.
1. Miller, Angelyn. The Enabler. -- When Helping Harms the Ones You
Love. New York Ballentine Books, 1988.
2. Stevens, John. Abundant Peace -- the Biography of Morehei Ueshiba,
the founder of Aikido. Boston: Shambhala, 1987
3. Bobhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. New York:
Macmillan, 1963.
* * * * *
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Interpersonal Problem Solving:
Drama and literary analysis as a tool in personal problem solving.
The structure of Aristotle's Pentad [1] for five act plays is useful
as a framework for solving personal problems.
1. Who is the hero? What are his weaknesses? How is he likely to
fall?
2.
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