21 levels of Self-Deception: THIRD EDITION by Tom Wallace - HTML preview

T W E N T Y - O N E L E V E L S

accepting that a full understanding will always be beyond us. Whilst providence remains fundamentally mysterious, this nurturing can nonetheless be set against the alternative of a sheer indifference or hostility to life. Beyond this, as conscious beings, we can act on the world and to some extent we can understand and reflect upon the consequences of our actions. In this way, we can either enhance or frustrate the general disposition towards providence — we can be the means of grace, or the means by which grace is withheld. We might create meaning for ourselves then by being the means of grace in the world.

The contention then is that it is through the quality of relationships that we make meaning for ourselves. As divided persons, we have a relationship with ourselves first and foremost, which is in a constant state of flux. How we deal with ourselves (with honesty, compassion and humour or with fear, anxiety and rationalism) is the starting point for meaning. Then with other people, further meanings open up. The self exists within the context of the human economy. Connections with others thereby confer meaning to our lives. There might just be a chance meeting — the briefest of encounters with another. In that short space of time all of us have the opportunity to create meaning through kindness and generosity. Perhaps it is just a smile or a compliment and we move on. Alternatively, meaning can be confounded (or a different meaning created) by selfishness, anger or resentment. What if nothing else had any meaning apart from our interactions with others? I suspect the way many of us spend our time would be very

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