-or- not an excuse, but perhaps an insight
I have been thinking lately about the balance between rational thought and raw emotion. I generally try to err on the side of caution and act in a more rational way, but sometimes the emotion is too strong and I get caught in its lassos of madness. We have all experienced that heat of the moment. That rush of passion and energy that accompanies being in the middle of some experience. And we have all done stupid things while in that moment.
And so, stupid is as stupid does. The stupid moments and stupid actions are not, sadly foreign to any of us.
Often when the crazy moments happen, though, we really don't think we are being stupid. We think we are in complete control, fully aware of what we are doing and saying. There is an inherent disconnect between being in the moment and our rational selves. And so often the things we say, the things we do, or the things we write are true. For that moment at least.
Let me offer an example. Growing up I had a younger brother. For the most part, we got along pretty well. But like true brothers, we had our fights as well. Mostly physical, with some verbal jabs thrown in, I can quite clearly recall whispering some menacing threat about how I was going to "beat the crap out of [him]" or "kill [him]". Did I ever do either of those? Of course not. But did I want to? That little, crazy part of me that was in control at that moment sure thought I did.
It was never strong enough to do anything, and we always got over it and remain close to this day. But that doesn't lessen the fact that when I whispered those words there wasn't a part of me that thought they were the truth.
And so perhaps we should keep this in mind. People will say and do stupid things in the heat of the moment. That doesn't lessen just how stupid those things may be, but if we are willing to show a little humanity and compassion, perhaps we can see that it ought to lessen how stupid we think the person is.
Good people can do bad things too, you know.