Article – Flawed Human Condition
Every year, June 27, the birthday of Helen Keller, is celebrated as a national holiday in the U.S. Keller was able to overcome her tremendous physical limitations, becoming the first blind and deaf pe
Every year, June 27, the birthday of Helen Keller, is celebrated as a national holiday in the U.S. Keller was able to overcome her tremendous physical limitations, becoming the first blind and deaf person to earn a bachelor’s degree. Her tireless work as an activist has also had a lasting impact on improving awareness of and accommodations for blind and deaf individuals, and others with physical disabilities.If we reflect more deeply, we will notice that all human beings are actually born with many physical limitations in the grand scheme of life. Did you know that our eyes cannot see everything in the physical universe? Our limited spectrum excludes infrared light, ultraviolet light and much more that other organisms can access.
Physical limitation is just one part of it. We are equally limited in our mental and spiritual capacities. Most religions and philosophical traditions warn us that our commonsense appearances can be very deceptive and do not accurately represent the true nature of reality. Science concurs: when you see a piece of wood, it appears solid, but science has proven that wood, and in fact all matter, is 99.5% empty space.
As a result of our limited cognitive ability in relation to the complex reality we face in our lives, we continue to struggle as a species, engaging in attitudes and behaviors that are damaging to individuals and to society.
Historian of philosophy, Pierre Hadot, explained this in relation to the various schools of Ancient Greek philosophy: “All schools agree that man, before his philosophical conversion, is in a state of unhappy disquiet. Consumed by worries, torn by passions, he does not live a genuine life, nor is he truly himself. All schools also agree that man can be delivered from this state.” This can also apply more broadly to all religions
Until the point where we become spiritual seekers and realize that reality is more than that which can be perceived by our senses, we are likely to remain unhappy or dissatisfied. But if we use our flaws and mistakes as catalysts to better understand ourselves and our relationship to the universe, we will be given the key to lasting peace. All spiritual paths enable this and offer guidance to recognize our limitless selves. Until then, the conundrums and confusions will remain.
The Abrahamic traditions, which name the biblical Fall or original sin of Adam and Eve, direct us to redeem ourselves by returning to our state of original goodness.
The goal of Taoism is to achieve original simplicity, while Confucius believed deeply in the fundamentally good nature of human beings that can be recovered by chipping away at our flaws through education and reform. Buddhism teaches that we all possess the Buddha Nature, achievable by wiping out ignorance.