I seem to be an inferior gloater. Maybe I am just not sensitive enough. Maybe I overthink the problem. Maybe I am not a real man. I am thinking about how to do better and watching for opportunities to train myself to a higher level of gloating.
Our governor recently advised his political party not to gloat about the difficulties of their political opponents. The word "gloat" caught my eye. It doesn't seem to be a word I use much. Noticing that fact was my first clue in evaluating my gloatability. I use the word so little that I may be overlooking a good opportunity to broaden my communications. It reminds me of "goat" and "groat".
As I thought about it, I remembered the "bwa-ha-hah" of the various cartoon villains the kids see in their cartoons. The evil villain is usually careful to announce his character and undefined but nasty intentions with a bass note, ringing and reverberating "bwa-ha-ha-ha-hah" laugh. That sort of person is clearly an advanced gloater who could easily earn an A in gloating. We recently saw a production of Carousel (1945), including the song "If I Loved You". The lovers state that they don't love each other but explain what things would be like if they did. They would be poor at loving, and "let their golden chances past them by". That is what I am afraid I am doing, letting some of my best chances to gloat really well, really impressively pass me by.
I just read today that poor behavior seems to be more contagious and travel through society more quickly and easily than good examples do. Most of the great religions advise against gloating, on the grounds that it is cruel and also difficult to do well, since one looks so foolish when one finds oneself in just the situation one has recently gloated about having escaped. But that is another thing that exasperates me: Gloating is supposed to be natural and easy to adopt and yet I don't seem to be up to the standard of good gloating. Yes, maybe I am insensitive as a stone, maybe I am a fake man and not a real one. Maybe I should just take the gloves off and wade into the best gloat I can do and not think about it.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
