Four Kinds of People

The other presents itself to us as a series of traits or characteristics. Now, these traits, in and of themselves, are neither good nor bad. It is like when a stone tumbles down a cliff. The fact of the stone tumbling is neither good nor bad, it simply is. However, if we happen to be standing below the tumbling stone, and if it smites us, we label the stone's tumbling bad. But if it is our enemy who happens to stand in that unlucky spot, and to be smited by the stone, and not us, then we label the stone's tumbling good.

So it is with the other. The characteristics of the other are neither good nor bad, they simply are. But some of the other's characteristics cause us pleasure and we label them good, while other characteristics displease us, and we label them bad.

And so the other presents itself to us as a bundle of good and bad characteristics. Now the question arises, how will we react to these characteristics, which we have labeled good and bad? We could emphasize the negative characteristics of the other and despise them on that account, or we might give more heed to the positive characteristics of the other and choose instead to love. Or we might seek a more balanced approach, and love the other for their good while despising them for their bad.

In this respect we might say, in Talmudic fashion, that there are four kinds of people in this world: those who love the other for the characteristics they label good and despise them for the characteristics they label bad are called common; those who despise the other for the bad and pay no heed to the good are called blind; those who love the other for their goodness and feel compassion for their badness are saints; those who love the badness in the other and despise their goodness are wicked.