Sins

Straight Dope addressed the question of the seven deadly sins.

And hey, post structure!

So, starting with pride. The Pride that Goeth before a Fall. The pride of awards and time in grade that blinds one to error and humanity. The pride that says, "I know what I'm doing, don't question me!" The pride that says, "Don't talk to ME like THAT!" The pride that says, "I'm in charge, I can do whatever I want." The pride that doesn't question, dulls the wits with overconfidence, assumption of special status and infallibility. The pride that silences a co-pilot right before the jet flies into a mountain. The pride that keeps a surgeon from doing proper Time-Outs. The pride that a prominent politician assumes protects him when his pants are down and he's had a snootful.

Not the honest pride in one's earned accomplishment, which is really a kind of joy.

Envy that turns us green, the envy that ruins relationships out of an unearned distrust by the beloved. The envy that causes us to feel we deserve what someone else has, to the point of plotting to take it away. It's jealously and fear of losing what is not ours to lose. Envy that makes us feel entitled to cheat and steal. Envy that poisons us, blind to our own riches. Envy that sees everyone else's garden as greener, even if plastic and painted.

Not the envy that says, "Ah, so wonderful for you, I wish it for myself as well."

Anger is the worst, because it fills us with righteousness, even when we are most wrong, so we feel Vindicated and Elated. Sears the hearts of shouted-at children, erodes all trust in leaders, fosters resentment in the victims. Anger is a heroin for the loud and self appointed moralists who are often most guilty of the evils they accuse others of. Anger as a choice is addictive and destructive.

Only in measured doses, against malice and injustice, can it ever be useful. A potent medication for rare occasions.

Sloth as of those who get themselves so worked up about a job, they use more energy avoiding it than if they simply did the work. A self defeating vice, that soils every relationship it takes a dump on. Half assed and slap dashed, a job undone out of inattention. Often, this is a matter of training, no one expecting, rewarding it.

Sloth too often the label on people with real issues of depression, illness, or a simple mismatch with the work at hand. A fault of the teacher, unable to engage and expect and inspire.

Avarice as greed. Entitlement, to whatever is at hand, lacking empathy. Again, empathy another skill to be taught early, and so often neglected. Avarice is seeing no problem with getting more money than one can spend in a lifetime, while other's struggle to feed and house themselves, and still wanting more tax breaks.

Avarice too often applied to everyone else, when the most guilty feel no shame.

Gluttony as lack of self control. As alcoholism, as unaddressed self indulgence, as defensiveness in the face of criticism, of hoarding. Often born out of early lack, reinforced by anxiety.

Gluttony another of those vices thrown at others, often for obesity. Which is epidemic and the reasons for it unclear, to say the least.

Lust as the justification of sexual assault and oppression. Lust as defense against poor self control and appropriate boundaries toward other's bodies. Lust as advertising and lust as shallow lack of accountability.

Not the plain lust as a force of love and shared sexual pleasure.

Go, and sin no more.