Tearing down, building up

Each year, true to tradition, we take down our Christmas tree on Epiphany, January 6. Our tree this year held on valiantly, but by Epiphany it had shed most of its needles. "I think it it might have been cut too early," said the guy from whom we bought it. We wondered if it was left over from 2020, when tree sales were drastically down. Still, our little tree served its purpose and brightened the home from Thanksgiving to Epiphany. I noticed as Jane removed the ornaments that it is much easier to dismantle than to decorate. It's easier to tear down than to build up. 

I've been pottering away building a guitar. I've invested many hours of careful, thoughtful and detailed work. I mused how easy it would be to take a hammer to my work—heaven forbid! As firewood, the kitchen fireplace would consume the fine woodwork in a matter of minutes. So much easier to tear down than to build up.

In this week's Economist, "Cancel Culture: What a previous iconoclastic period reveals about the current one" traces the history of tearing things down in Britain; destroying statues, white-washing paintings and murals, and public burnings of the no longer acceptable. I was aware of the dissolution of the monasteries in Tudor England with its wave of religious iconoclasm but surprised at the richness and longevity of tearing down culture. John the Baptist warned that when Messiah came they would "burn the chaff with unquenchable fire." Historically, many have taken upon themselves the task of stoking the flames. One person's spruce tone bar for a guitar is another person's kindle for the flames. It seems the need to tear down runs deep in the human psyche.

The target of iconoclasm has often been religious symbols but more likely today political and cultural symbols. And doubtless statues that glorify ignoble ends are best not celebrated, but do serve a purpose in reminding us of our ignoble history—rather like a scar that serves to caution us not to be so foolish with the saw in the future. My own view is that we need to be reminded of that ignoble history "let we forget," and I tend to think that such statuary and imagery should be preserved for historical, cultural and ethical reasons but likely not in the public square or place of prominence. However, that is not my point today. I am thinking about the ease (and joy) we seem to take in tearing down. Building up is the harder task.

Check out any day's news feed on your favorite platform—chances are most of it is negative, tearing down, finding fault. "Doom scrolling" is the newly coined phrase for it.

It takes years to build a life, a reputation, a character. One miss step and the wrecking ball tears down in a news cycle. It must be that we get pleasure from such destruction, otherwise the media would find some other hook to grasp our attention. Even so, continued tearing down serves only to create more kindling fit only to burn. Then we are left only with ashes.

I'm not a great one for New Year's resolutions. However, were I to make one this year it would be to be a builder rather than a destroyer.

Peace and all Good for 2022,

+Ab. Andy