Guilt is a concept that was instilled in us Catholic lads from an early age, reinforced by the application of wooden rulers and leather belts of the nuns and the bamboo canes of the brothers and priests - just in case the theorism didn't get through to our young and unformed consciences.
The Internet informs me that:
Guilt is an emotional experience that occurs when a person believes or realizes—accurately or not—that they have compromised their own standards of conduct or have violated universal moral standards and bear significant responsibility for that violation.
Sorry about the American spelling (although I do wonder why they use a 'z' in realize but not in compromised).
Associated with guilt is expiation which the Oxford dictionary informs me is:
The act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing; atonement.
"an act of public expiation"
All good and links in with my theme of 'Mea culpa'.
So - why guilt?
After dinner tonight I switched the TV on to Youtube music and watched a recording of Van Morrison performing TB Sheets, one of his visceral classics from the 1960s:
This song has always tugged at me from the first time I heard it when I was still at school (being 'instructed' via canes by priests in the late 1960s) and for the rest of my life. Van has captured the conflict of doing the right thing versus doing what you prefer to do so well. It's remarkable from a man who was so young when he wrote this song.
It still upsets me when I hear it.
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Given Robert's sermonising (or, regurgitating what he has heard from the latest sermon at his church) where he sometimes touches on guilt, responsibility and culpability. I'm interested in his take on this song.
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