I have been doing some ruminating on the Pagan subculture in general, and how this relates to Hellenismos…specifically our ethics. I know we’ve been talking quite a bit about ethics, but I think it’s important…because ethics seem to be glossed over, or completely ignored by the Pagan (and Hellenic) community at large because people confuse ethics with “rules” and “dogma”.
I am not sure what’s caused the trend I’ve been seeing, but it seems to me that a lot of what is appealing about Paganism, and also Hellenic Polytheism, is this idea that being polytheistic means a rejection of all that is considered “Christian”. This would include a sense of ethical behavior.
We see a lot of people identifying as social outcasts, social misfits, freaks, etc identifying with Paganism, and continuing on with their worship of Hellenic Gods. They crack open a couple of books, and call themselves Reconstructionists because they loosely worship orthorpaxically, mistaking that as modern innovation of ancient practice.
Can you see what’s missing here?
The lack of ethics, the lack of understanding of Greek thought, the lack of wanting to transcend our vices.
Sure, the social misfit may be attracted to polytheistic worship. I can understand why someone who feels like they never truly fit anywhere would be attracted to a non-mainstream religion. They settle in and feel like they have found something where they can, with all their antisocial and nonconformist behavior, be at home.
I’m sorry, but that doesn’t entirely work within Hellenic Polytheism.
While it is true that Hellenismos is an orthopraxy, there is still a general theology and cosmology that one should adhere to if one is going to be labelling themselves with the title of Hellenic Reconstructionist, or Hellenic Polytheist. Ethics are an important part of how we, as Hellenes, conduct ourselves. It is also what brings us into the light of the Gods. To disavow ethical behavior would actually be taking us away from our Gods…and no matter how orthorpaxically you worship….to continue to hang on to your vice will not grant you favor or make your life any easier.
And that actually brings me to another point. Introspection, personal responsibility, scrutiny of ourselves and our actions in *extremely* important in how we as Hellenes should approach virtually any situation we come across. It is not enough to languish in our vice. It is one thing to be accepting of ourselves and who we are…it is another thing entirely to use the excuse of acceptance to not change the things that are hindering us in our lives.
I can tell you that I have a horrible temper. I accept that about myself. At the same time, I know that me flying off the handle every time I’m upset is not going to help me in my life. I suppose I could piss and moan about how crappy life is, or I could get to the root of where my anger lies, and modify my behavior so that people will respond to me in a more positive manner. I would be improving myself and improving all of my relationships…work, personal, familial.
See where I’m going?
I suppose it’s cool to be different. I suppose there’s a sick thrill in upsetting people just because you can. I suppose there is a comfort in reinforcing how freaky, difficult, and a misfit you are….it provides an excuse for why your life is crap. There is no pressure to improve, no pressure to change, no pressure to do anything. It’s a copout.
I think if one truly believes in the Gods, identifies as a Hellenic Polytheist…then one must also adhere to a personal standard of ethical behavior.
Sure, we all mess up….we are mortals. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t aspire to be more than what we are.
I was reading this quote today, and I think it applies to my blog, today:
The Bottom Line
FACE IT. No one owes you a living.
What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime is directly related to what you do or fail to do.
No one chooses his parents or his childhood, but you can choose your own direction.
Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome, but that too is relative to each individual.
NOTHING IS CARVED IN STONE.
You can change anything in your life if you want to badly enough.
Excuses are for losers.
Those who take responsibility for their actions are the real winners in life.
Winners meet life’s challenges head on, knowing there are no guarantees, and give it all they’ve got.
And never think it’s too late or too early to begin.
Time plays no favorites and will pass whether you act or not.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE.
Dare to dream and take riskis….Compete.
If you aren’t willing to work for your goals, don’t expect others to.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
Scampian
on Apr 9th, 2008
@ 7:34 pm:
“We see a lot of people identifying as social outcasts, social misfits, freaks, etc identifying with Paganism, and continuing on with their worship of Hellenic Gods. ”
Eh… To be honest I don’t like that you attacked social outcasts and basically implied that they are not hellenic. Why? I myself am a social outcast… not in the traditional sense yet I’m still a social outcast. Sure I have a very active social life, enjoy meeting tons of people, am friendly towards everyone and outgoing. However I’m still a social outcast, why? My ideas, my outlook at life, my hatred of this false society, and I prefer the individual life. The quote from Byron on my MNM sig explains it all… I am an outcast because my ideas and my way of life doesn’t agree with societies, yet I worship the Hellenic gods in the traditional sense and try to always apply the hellenic ethics in everyday life.
Twinkle
on Apr 9th, 2008
@ 7:45 pm:
Interesting response. The rest of my blog explained quite clearly the difference between being a social misfit and using the the identifying label as an excuse not to grow.
Timothy Alexander
on Apr 9th, 2008
@ 8:13 pm:
You know, at a very real level, one cannot be anti-social and be a Hellenist. It simply goes against Hellenic thought. That does not mean you can’t have your own ideas, but one must be able to perform as a member of the social fabric and not intentionally work at creating disharmony.
I don’t intentionally go out looking to intimidate people, but my looks put some people off… but I say please and thank you… I send a friendly smile to people who look at me like a deer in my headlights. I engage in polite conversation with others and do not act harsh towards people I meet.
No one says you can’t have leather, tattoos, and piercings. No one says you can’t lean to the left politically, or embrace radical or controversial ideas. What it all means is do it in a way that you are not being intolerable.
Twinkle
on Apr 9th, 2008
@ 8:21 pm:
Exactly.
youngsoulrebel
on Apr 9th, 2008
@ 11:23 pm:
Scampian & Tim,
Just for clarification, there’s a major difference between being a social outcast and being anti-social.
A social outcast doesn’t “fit in” with mainstream society — in this day and age (and in North Amerikan and European culture), that’s Judeo-Christian society, wherein polytheists and other adherents to an “alternative” religion are basically outcasts from the mainstream by default; in ancient Hellas, for example, the Orphics were probably “outcasts” of some degree or another.
An anti-social person is one who either eschews or dissuades socialisation through their behaviour. An anti-social person is an outcast or misfit by default (and for glaringly obvious reasons); an outcast or misfit, on the other hand, is not necessarily anti-social. Indeed, some of the most polite, well-mannered, and friendly people I’ve met in my life have been “outcasts” of one stripe or another.
Additionally, many people go through a mildly anti-social phase — not necessarily an unfriendly period, but one wherein one is spending some time doing serious introspection and probably isn’t going out and meeting people, and is outright avoiding social interactions whenever possible; while a phase is normal, and almost definitely within the realms of acceptable displays of unadulterated humanity within Hellenismos, I would have to agree that genuine prolonged anti-social behaviour is not, and that one who behaves so should either resolve to change this fact about their behaviours, or suck it up and admit that they are very mis-matched for the ethics involved with Hellenic Reconstruction and/or Polytheism.
Many people also seem to mistake behaviour for personality idiosyncrasies, and while such a mistake is incredibly human, it’s also easier to unlearn a previously misunderstood definition then it is to unlearn certain behaviours. To use myself as an example, off-line shyness is a behaviour that I am working to overcome — my personality is that of one who is reasonably introverted and reserved (I typically keep to myself, and while opinionated and more than willing to run my proverbial mouth in print [id est: on-line], in person I’m usually rather quiet, albeit highly opinionated when prompted or otherwise compelled to give it); shyness is typically psychologically defined as a behaviour brought on by fears of social interactions. Even when I overcome shyness once and for all, my reserved personality will still be there, it will just no longer be shrouded in timidness. While shyness is often associated with introverts and reserved persons, shyness is not synonymous with those personality traits; nay, it is a behaviour learned through fears brought on by experiences, and in extremes, it can be crippling. Likewise with aggressiveness and extroversion, or braggadocio and heroism, or gullibility and kind-heartedness — the former is a behaviour that can be unlearned while the latter is a personality traits that needn’t (and probably shouldn’t) change just because an associated behaviour has been eliminated.
– RJ
Scampian
on Apr 10th, 2008
@ 3:57 am:
“one cannot be anti-social and be a Hellenist.” I never said I was anti-social, i am anti-(This)society, thus making me a social outcast. I think you will find that most individuals often are social outcasts, for they have their own ideas and are mostly not influenced by the majority of society. Im not debating what Twinkle says about it, im just debating her choice of words.
Twinkle
on Apr 10th, 2008
@ 4:19 am:
Hmm….I’m trying to get where you’re coming from on this. I think the issue is not so much that you are a “social outcast”. There are plenty of people that are…because they have their own ideas, yada yada. The problem with clinging to the label of social outcast is that we always seem to have those that use it as a reason to be turds…to hang on to vice and disregard ethics and the concepts of piety and virtue.
“I’m a social misfit, that’s why my life sucks. I’m a social misfit, that’s why people treat me like crap. I’m a social misfit, I’m justified in treating people badly.”
Do you see the difference in feeling like an outcast…and actually being an outcast because of the choices one makes in their behavior?
Timothy Alexander
on Apr 10th, 2008
@ 10:38 am:
@youngsoulrebel,
I think there is a very real difference between being a part of the social fringe and being a social outcast. The social fringe represents alternative thinking and lifestyles, but do not exist as a cancer. It is the difference between an artist commune and a group of gang bangers. The social fringe still sees itself as part of society, with responsibility to society, and works to make a contribution.
@Scampian
In my resent article on virtue I stated, “there is little value in becoming a scholar if you are physically unfit, socially inept, or emotionally self-destructive.” Now, if you read Aristotle, there is a difference between a person who performs vice because of a physical, mental, or emotional issue, but recognizes their problem and works to fix it (whether successful or not), and the person who embraces their vice.
Twinkle
on Apr 10th, 2008
@ 11:29 am:
“there is a difference between a person who performs vice because of a physical, mental, or emotional issue, but recognizes their problem and works to fix it (whether successful or not), and the person who embraces their vice.”
And that is ultimately my point. This tends to be a sticky subject in general because it can come off as judgemental and self righteous…which was not my intent.
My thought was that one can certainly be “different”….Hell, I am different simply because I don’t worship the Abrahamic God. Alternative lifestyles, piercings, tattoos…yada, yada….that’s not really the issues.
The issue is non-functioning members of society clinging to paganism, and worshipping Hellenic Gods without understanding anything about being Hellenic.
It’s about making sure that the dysfunction of their lives can continue without any effort to achieve/be more. The excuse is often that they are social misfits, they are Pagan…and *this* is why their lives are in the shape that they are in.
I hope that helped.