My personal journey 5 -- Baltasar Gracian's Aphorism #149: Learn How to Shift the Blame to Others

Baltasar Gracian's Aphorism #149: Learn How to Shift the Blame to Others. "To have a shield against ill-will is a great piece of skill in a ruler. It is not the resort of incapacity, as ill-wishers imagine, but is due to the higher policy of having some one to receive the censure of the disaffected and the punishment of universal detestation. Everything cannot turn out well, nor can every one be satisfied: it is well therefore, even at the cost of our pride, to have such a scapegoat, such a target for unlucky undertakings."

I disagree entirely with this aphorism but I sometimes learn more by disagreeing with Gracian than by vigorously agreeing with other authors. This aphorism is a reminder that "The Art of Worldly Wisdom" was not only a guide to developing the good character necessary to a fulfilling life but also a survivor's manual for negotiating the treacherous infrastructure of the 17th century Spanish court and Jesuitical order. If the development of character is the focus, then taking full responsibility for your own actions is absolutely necessary. If establishing status within ruthless hierarchies is the focus, then being able to shift the blame is definitely useful. The schism here speaks to how difficult to impossible it is to seek power in highly-competitive centralized institutions and still remain a decent human being.

On a more personal lever, one of the most powerful tools for changing myself has been the phrase "it is what it is." First and foremost, I try to accept the bare reality of what happens (I truly do!) without wasting time in bemoaning the injustice or insanity of it all. Of course, a fair amount of moaning happens anyway. By "acceptance," BTW, I don't mean submitting to my fate or not striving to make things better, just, repaired... I mean putting the facts of a situation above my own reaction to it so that outcomes like "better, just, repaired" become more likely. In order to assert whatever control you have over a situation, you need to grasp the hard cold edges of it with both hands and without flinching. It is what it is. Someone has been unjust or cruel toward you? Self-pity is a waste of time. Make sure to do whatever will prevent anything similar from happening again. After that or if that is not possible, then move on. Don't stand in one place to lament your plight to the heavens. The heavens don't care; and, even if they do, they won't help anyone who doesn't help herself.

What does the foregoing have to do with aphorism 149? Shifting blame runs directly against the practical and moral need to confront and to accept situations for exactly what they are. Shifting blame means dissembling to others and, perhaps, to yourself as to what really happened. Useful for job advancement (maybe). Disastrous for moral development (always). This aphorism is just one of many, many reasons I am grateful not to be a member of the Jesuitical order.