One question that has also vexed me about (many) bullies is how come their actions don't cause them the mental suffering that many people who are much nicer to others face? And, the non-bullies can only imagine the paroxysms of guilt and misery that would follow if they were to act like bullies.
One of the hardest lessons of life is that as you sow so shall you reap but as they sow, so they may not reap. Someone of a gentle and sensitive disposition will wracked by guilt and regret if he hurts someone else, but people are habitually nasty to others might carry on that way for the rest of their lives without any physical or mental repercussions. Karma is a bitch, but randomly. And, I am not just taking about "damaged" people who have suffered abuse in the past and lash out and everyone around them or people who are habitually nasty. I am also talking about people who are strategically nasty and untruthful. A prominent TV anchor in India comes to mind. I find it difficult to even watching as I feel forced to repent for his terrible behaviour, only because someone should. And, the frustrating part is that me might lead a very content existence for all I know. Some people can be kind to themselves while being terrible to others, although its a relief that most of us can't.
Kindness and generosity are not seeds to be sown with the expectation of reaping good health and fortune. They ought to be ends in themselves or at least tools to secure one's own peace of mind, to put it in utilitarian and individualistic terms.
We all have to figure what we reap when we sow a particular thing, and learn by trial and error. They best we can do is to wish mental torrent on the horrible people we come across in our lives. But, bad actions are no guarantee of bad outcomes and that's just the way it is.
One of the hardest lessons of life is that as you sow so shall you reap but as they sow, so they may not reap. Someone of a gentle and sensitive disposition will wracked by guilt and regret if he hurts someone else, but people are habitually nasty to others might carry on that way for the rest of their lives without any physical or mental repercussions. Karma is a bitch, but randomly. And, I am not just taking about "damaged" people who have suffered abuse in the past and lash out and everyone around them or people who are habitually nasty. I am also talking about people who are strategically nasty and untruthful. A prominent TV anchor in India comes to mind. I find it difficult to even watching as I feel forced to repent for his terrible behaviour, only because someone should. And, the frustrating part is that me might lead a very content existence for all I know. Some people can be kind to themselves while being terrible to others, although its a relief that most of us can't.
Kindness and generosity are not seeds to be sown with the expectation of reaping good health and fortune. They ought to be ends in themselves or at least tools to secure one's own peace of mind, to put it in utilitarian and individualistic terms.
We all have to figure what we reap when we sow a particular thing, and learn by trial and error. They best we can do is to wish mental torrent on the horrible people we come across in our lives. But, bad actions are no guarantee of bad outcomes and that's just the way it is.
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