Essay Two: Contaminated Social Interactions
In Diary of Lady Murasaki and Diagnosis and Cure of the Soul’s Passions, human beings analyze the social environment by identifying the richest and powerful out of the group, then speak sweetly to them for personal gains. Murasaki Shikibu noticed that people would constantly prove to nobles their worth by behaving flawlessly, but then reflect on personal emotions and worries when in solitude. Galen commented on how the social atmosphere influenced by power could lead to a person to act without morality, and after they lose the social pressure, they turn into self- satisfaction. This essay will use these two texts to argue that people bring forth their servile and friendly nature after noticing the presence of respected individuals and display their untamed emotions and selfishness in solitude.
Diary of Lady Murasaki highlights the idea that people always behave perfectly in front of nobles due to their desire for social burdens and fame. Murasaki Shikibu saw the young girl attendants, who were selected and supported by their family, here for a mission: to represent the family in front of the nobles, or rather, to make the family reputable and proud:
Was it because their patrons were so convinced that their girls were the best that, look as I would I found it difficult to distinguish between them? Someone more in the know about fashion would have been able to detect differences at once (Murasaki Shikibu, p. 40).
These gorgeous dresses reflected the exact motives of the patrons: they showcased the most luxurious outfit that only nobles could spot the differences between a decent dress and the one that sets apart from the rest; they were competing in the standards and eyes of the nobles, and didn’t care for the rest who can’t be able to compare the dresses. Despite being fashionable, the young girl attendants were still extremely nervous “in normal years the young girl attendants feel self- conscious when presenting themselves in front of His Majesty” (Murasaki Shikibu, p.39). This self- consciousness was caused by the burden placed on them by their family: to bring fame to the household; thus, not only do they have to behave extremely lovely in front of His Majesty, but also must take advantages of others’ failures to fulfill the burden. Murasaki Shikibu “felt somehow concerned for them, convinced that, although they may have been able to deal with the situation both in terms of rank and intelligence, they must surely have found the pressures of constant rivalry daunting” (Murasaki Shikibu, p.40). The pressure was generated initially by the parents who wanted fame for themselves, but then escalated into rivalry between each young girl attendant. As a result, peoples’ interactions were friendly and seemingly flawless in front of powerful individuals due to personal desire of wealth.
Diagnosis and Cure of the Soul’s Passions believes that most human interactions are motivated by desire of power; they praise the dignitaries to gain reputation. Galen stated that if a reputable person “going continually to the homes of the wealthy, the powerful, or even monarchs, be sure that you have heard falsely that this man always speaks the truth, for such adulation leads to lies” (Galen, p. 3). While in the presence of influential celebrities, people would speak obsequiously and generate dulcet lies to make a remarkable impression: they hope that they would be remembered for their outstanding kindness. Galen pointed out “whoever has chosen such a life, not only does not speak the truth, but he is wholly evil, because he loves some or all of the following: wealth, rule, honors, reputation” (Galen, p. 4). The sycophants are presented in a dilemma: they must choose between dignity or informality, but Galen stated that “fear of losing their profit will keep flatterers from telling the truth to the rich” (Galen, p. 6). As a result, they choose to bet their social dignity in exchange for a potential reward from the dignitaries. Social interaction, based on Galen, was determined by the status of the interlocutors and greed.
Diary of Lady Murasaki demonstrates that, when people are alone, they exhibit their inability to control emotions through sadness and worries. Murasaki Shikibu wrote “On autumn evenings, which positively encouraged nostalgia, when I go out to sit on the veranda and faze, I seem to be always conjuring up visions of the past” (Murasaki Shikibu, p. 55). Murasaki Shikibu described a scene where she sat outside alone and couldn’t help but remember her past- her lonely life ever since her husband passed away. Since there was no one to distract her from reminisce nor prevent her from inundated feelings, Murasaki Shikibu picked up her instrument to produce her feelings: “and when I play my koto rather badly to myself in the cool breeze of the evening, I worry lest someone might hear me and recognize how I am just ‘adding to the sadness of it all’” (Murasaki Shikibu, p. 55). Murasaki Shikibu was permitted to surrender herself to her emotions while alone, but she showed that she was worried about public judgements. Since Murasaki Shikibu must withdraw herself from the social interactions if she has potential to embarrass herself: “the sight of him, so magnificent, makes me conscious of my own disheveled appearance, and so when he presses me for a poem, I use it as an excuse to move to where my inkstone is kept” (Murasaki Shikibu, p. 4), the idea of having permission to show signs of worry about judgements versus forcing to withdraw herself from embarrassment demonstrates the behavior difference between when she is in solitude and when she is surrounded by people.
Diagnosis and Cure of the Soul’s Passions proposes that, while people are away from social atmosphere, they falsely self- reflect on their actions, and thus always satisfied with themselves. Galen stated that “a man who has for a long time habitually fallen into errors finds it difficult to remove the defilement of the passions from his soul” (Galen, p. 10). A person would never judge their own actions, or ever admit that they were ever wrong because “lover is blind in the case of the object of his love. If, therefore, each of us loves himself most of all, he must be blind in his own case” (Galen, p. 3). When we don’t have to obey anyone’s orders, or respect the presence of a celebrity, we would be drowning in the sea of self- satisfaction, since we love ourselves the most. As a result, this undisciplined power gave us reason to choose pleasure; Galen said: “the concupiscible [power] is the one by which we are carried forward to what appears to be pleasant before we have considered whether it is helpful and good or harmful and bad” (Galen, p. 12). This power would drive us to “voluptuous eating, gluttony in food and drink, and for lewd, unnatural conduct” (Galen, p. 12). Galen believed these powers control us to constantly feed our body with pleasure, especially when we don’t have anyone to stop us. Thus, Galen proposed that, in order to maintain the concupiscible power, “we must not leave the diagnosis of these passions to ourselves, but we must entrust it to others” (Galen, p. 12); this is due to the fact that “holding the impetuosity of this power in check before it grows and acquires an unconquerable strength” (Galen, p. 12) since we cannot notice our own errors, because we love ourselves too much.
Diary of Lady Murasaki and Diagnosis and Cure of the Soul’s Passions described that human beings always hide their greedy characters and display their affectionate characteristics in front of tycoons in hope to gain reputation for their good nature; after withdrawing themselves from the social pressure, they lose self- control of emotions, and demonstrate their fragile or selfish qualities. Murasaki Shikibu demonstrated how the social burdens, established by peoples’ hope for power and wealth, would affect the behaviors and peoples’ projection through her observation of behaviors of young girl servants. Galen pointed out that people are naturally drawn to wealthy people due to avarice, and they would lie while display their friendly nature to satisfy the desire of riches to gain reputation for themselves. Murasaki Shikibu also portraited the vulnerable side of human emotions in solitude, when she recorded her uncontrollable sadness and worries. Galen supported the idea that by summarizing that everyone loves themselves and would ever judge badly of their character, thus enabled them to act upon unmanageable desires when withdrawn from social responsibilities.