Open books with dirty pages

Introspection is a loaded word. We mock people who are too introspective and want them to be more outgoing. Some aren't introspective enough and we ask them to take some time and think about what they may be doing to their lives. For some that would be like asking Bill Clinton to not cheat on Hillary with trashy women but for others it may be as difficult as figuring out the physics of the unifying theory of everything. Introspection is necessary and I think too few people take time for themselves to think about what they feeling and doing and how it makes them feel and what they could do to feel better if they weren't doing well. Introspection though can also be dangerous. Really? Dangerous? I can hear you asking that question aloud in your mind as you read this blog. Yes dangerous.

The reason introspection is dangerous is because if done too often for too long it can begin to some across as a self-serving ego trip. People who are too introspective pour out their deepest darkest feelings on their blogs, Facebook pages, or journals replete with the complete inner and outer goings on of their lives leaving nothing to the readers imagination. It can become a sort of twisted status symbol: look how broken, hurt, and troubled I am and as you read look at my questions and thoughts and marvel at my ability to put into moving prose the deepest thoughts of my heart and mind. It turns into a focused spotlight, illuminating a self serving cliche that leads people to form opinions about you that you yourself want them to think. It is shaping what you want people's ideas of you to be, and that my friends is pride, and as C.S. Lewis reminded us, pride is the chief of sins because all sin stems from it.

Well what am I doing then sharing what I think about a topic like this? Am I being prideful since I am assuming there are people who are curious about what I have to say on matters pertaining to spirituality and Christian spirituality in particular? Possibly, but I think that intent plays a great deal of weight. If someone is giving their opinion on something whether it be a blog or forum it isn't prideful to share that opinion. When a person is going through a difficult time and posts thing on blogs and Facebook about some struggles is that prideful? No. If someone is open about their shortcomings is that prideful? No. Pride steps in when you intend to elicit certain responses from your peers. Pride rears its ugly head when you intend for others to pity you or to talk about you when you're not around, to try and make yourself the center of attention. Is that pride? Yup. So beware of people who are willing to share everything too quickly and who spare no detail; introspection is good and sharing with others is good and healthy.. but not always. C.S. Lewis (again) said, "The other, and less bad, vices come from the devil working on us through our animal nature. But this (pride) does not come through our animal nature at all. It comes direct from Hell. It is spiritual: consequently it is far more subtle and deadly."