Rationalization can be a TERRIBLE thing!

I must confess that I have always had difficulty with the natural law that states:
 
“I am that which I am, and I am willing to allow others to be that which they are.”
 
It isn’t so much that I’m not willing to let others be them, so much as that I have this un-Godly need to make sense of things. I need to know why! I guess I’m just weird that way.
 
So when people engage in behavior that I either don’t understand or don’t approve of, I am seldom able to fight the urge to ask why; although beforehand I often know that the ghetto logic rational they use will do nothing but piss me off. But, you get what you ask for and I did ask why.
 
Case in point:
 
My mother is an adjunct World/African-American History teacher at Central State University in Wilberforce Ohio. She often uses me as a sounding board for her lesson plans because I am of the same age and demographic as most of her class.
 
The lesson was over the different economic systems of the world. She briefly outlined the different systems as follows:
 
 
Slavery                                                                  Owner                   $100
                                                                             Slave                        $0
 
Capitalism                                                             Owner                   $95
                                                                             Worker                   $5
 
Socialism                                                               Owner                   $50
                                                                             Worker                  $50
 
Communism                                                          Owner                    $30
                                                                             Worker                  $70
 
She asks only one question. Which system is most fair and why?
 
Obviously there is no right or wrong answer, she merely wants to test your knowledge on the particular system of your choice by your ability to intelligently defend your argument. For the sake of thought provoking discussion she’ll often take an antagonistic stance towards whichever system you choose to “put you to the test”, as it were.
 
While I didn’t agree with the proportions, staunch capitalist and die hard entrepreneur that I am I took up the cause for capitalism. My mother countered by coming at me with the virtue of communism and we got into a HEATED debate.
 
Before I go any further, just for the record my mommy is not a commy, nor does she indorse the practice of slavery in any of its forms. Being qualified to speak intelligently on all of the economic systems of the world she merely pokes and prods her students in order to develop and expand their points of view.
 
Later that night I lie awake in my bed utterly astounded at some of the things she said. How could such an intelligent person say such seemingly stupid things?
 
As I lay awake pondering what was going through my mom’s head I had a horrifying epiphany. Given that point of view, not only did her arguments make sense but her logic in making those arguments was flawless!!!
 
Most disturbing of all was that I realized that some of the most heinous acts in human history have had strong rationalizations. Take the Holocaust or the genocide currently taking place in Darfur for example. Not only did the perpetrators of those human monstrosities believe that they were morally right, but that anyone who did not see their point of view and wasn’t sympathetic to their cause was morally wrong!
 
Now those are some pretty intense examples but the point I’m trying to make is this; be very aware of what’s going on in your head and comes out of your mouth and don’t play yourself!!!
 
Whether it’s an abusive relationship or counterproductive spending habits, do not allow yourself to rationalize yourself into a horrendous situation. Think clearly and always seek situations that edify you and brings out the very best that you are.
 
 
Respectfully Submitted,
 
 
Temitayo (Tim) Osinubi