Wednesday, March 14, 2007

scruples, lack thereof

As a general matter, I have a fairly ferocious superego. On most days, about the worst it will let me get away with is speeding up so I can make it through a yellow light. If I'm running very late. And if there's no-one else in the car.

But there have been times when my conscience has inexplicably, let's say, gone on vacation. Have I taken pleasure in the suffering of others? Absolutely. Set a stumbling block before the blind? Check. In fact, I'm pretty sure that, at one time or another, I've committed every one of the seven deadly sins.

Attentive readers will note that I'm being somewhat sketchy about the details. You know, Caesar's wife and all of that. But, trust me, I've done bad, bad things and slept extremely well afterwards.

4 comments:

Aurelia said...

Yes, sometimes I have schadenfreude moments, I am trying not to...but it's hard.

niobe said...

Schadenfreude -- such a pretty word for such an unpretty emotion. I was wondering just this morning whether there's a word (in German or any other language) for its opposite...

Mrs. Collins said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mrs. Collins said...

I do it too and I like it. To.o much.