We like to put people on a pedestal, give them one character trait, and if they step outside of that shrinelike area that we blocked out for them, then we will punish them.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
We have to put people on pedestals; otherwise, there's no one to knock off pedestals.
If you're put on a pedestal, you're supposed to behave yourself like a pedestal type of person. Pedestals actually have a limited circumference. Not much room to move around.
You either believe that people respond to authority, or that they respond to kindness and inclusion. I'm obviously in the latter camp. I think that people respond better to reward than punishment.
We like our archetypes and heroes to be what they are at face value. And life doesn't work out like that.
We are punished by our sins, not for them.
As for ourselves, yes, we must be meek, bear injustice, malice, rash judgment. We must turn the other cheek, give up our cloak, go a second mile.
I love to see heroes who fuel some kind of moral furnace inside them, who are driven to take on the evils of the world, despite the fact that the evils of the world are more powerful than them. And essentially can never be defeated, but they refuse to bow down. And in order to enjoy that aspect of the hero, you've got to put them through hell.
I think we actually punish children out of their relationship with their bodies... we categorically separate mind and body and emotion and intellect.
When the gods wish to punish us they answer our prayers.
If you put people up on pedestals, there's only one way for them to go, and that is down.