On being emotional and irrational<\/p>\n
John Hargreaves commented on my letter from July 14, 1999,
\nthat I was worrying about the wrong issue (The Jakarta Post, July
\n20, 1999). He said being emotional and irrational are two
\ndifferent things, arguing in the words of Joseph Conrad,
\n\"convictions are a disguised servant of our passion\". In some
\nways, it is true that one's convictions may reflect one's
\npassion, but I cannot agree that being emotional and irrational
\nare two different things that have consequently no link to each
\nother.<\/p>\n
When emotional, one tends to act irrationally; however, it is
\nnot necessarily so otherwise. An angry emotional man may kill
\nanother. That man is obviously in some way irrational, especially
\nif the murder is without good reason, while the rational man
\nwill think it over before doing such a thing. Not being able to
\nget what he wants, one may run amok emotionally, and this act is
\nundoubtedly irrational.<\/p>\n
In regard to the thumbprints in blood by Megawati's fanatics,
\nit shows us how emotional they are, and it becomes irrational as
\ntheir intention to do so is pressing others to support them in
\nelecting Megawati as president. As long as the pressure is
\npassive it will hopefully not raise any problems. Then they said,
\nhowever, that they would call on fellow fanatics to go to the
\nlegislature building in the next General Session of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly to form a mass movement for the election of
\nMegawati as president.<\/p>\n
In this way, the intended pressure may become
\ncounterproductive to the process of democratization and to the
\nstability of this nation. We should not forget who will guarantee
\nthat the opposing groups will not counteract them, and thus
\nletting physical clashes and a chaotic situation ensue. This is
\nthe issue I am trying to raise for the rational to persuade
\nthose, who are emotional and irrational, to think before acting
\nfor the sake of all of us and the nation.<\/p>\n
H.W. PIENANDORO<\/p>\n
Bogor, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-being-emotional-and-irrational-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }