Gandhi's take on my life

Wealth without Work

Pleasure without Conscience

Science without Humanity

Knowledge without Character

Politics without Principle

Commerce without Morality

Worship without Sacrifice

- Mahatma Ghandi

I am always on the lookout for a new moment to become self-aware. However, the moments come most frequently, as with most transformative events in life, when and how I expect them the least. One such moment came went I went to the Human Rights Education Institute earlier this month for the open house during which they opened the exhibit of local artists' interpretation of Gandhi's Seven Social Sins. I have always thought that Gandhi's list was one of the more provocative quotables on the human condition. Collectively, they highlight the principle that one man's power over another comes with limitless potential for corruption and tyranny. I thus expected to enjoy myself thoroughly. However, my expectations were met in a very peculiar way: not just from the display, but from the crowd.

I had a brief opportunity to walk around the venue and see the art before the program started. I was impressed with quality of the work, and its reflection of the principles in the social sins. The first piece, "Knowledge without character," for example, is portrayed by a man in a suit slumped over in a chair, and in the place of his head, an empty three-dimensional file cabinet. After three years of law school, and a plethora of seemingly useless knowledge, I readily saw the piece as mirror, rather than a painting. Talking with others there, and then listening to the artist (all of whom were on hand to talk about their pieces), I realized the applicability was almost universal: the artist, Austin Stiegemeier, intended it as a self-portrait. I was thoroughly impressed at how the artwork was able to produce the same sort of self-evaluation that Gandhi's words were meant to inspire.

My evaluation was soon juxtaposed against a realization, however, that the piece transcended my own understanding of myself. It is easy to use Gandhi's words to bolster my own ideology. I see his words as encouraging personal responsibility and limited government. What surprised me is how his same words, applied to different ideologies, rang just as true to each beholder, but lead to different conclusions.

It wasn't until after the pleasantries and the NIC choir had finished a spectacular performance that I suddenly found myself a minority in the crowd ... one of just a small handful of self-professed conservatives, and the only person wearing a tie. As Mr. Stiegemeier continued talking, it became clear that his convictions lead his interpretation of not only Gandhi's work, but his own artwork, to a far different conclusion than it did me. As he began talking about the fight in Wisconsin over collective bargaining and how he thought Gandhi's words were representative of the powers that union members are fighting for, I was thinking to myself that I couldn't find a more antithetical example. From my perspective, the protestors who trashed the capitol in Wisconsin were an example of entitlement and selfishness.

As I looked around, heads were nodding in adamant agreement, and my tie hung from my neck like scarlet letter enunciating my deviation from the seeming norm in the room. But nearly as quickly, I found a smile I couldn't stifle as I realized that the stark differences in opinion highlighted not that one interpretation of the matter was right or wrong, but that Gandhi's truth ran deeper than our everyday arguments.

Luke Malek is a homegrown Kootenai County boy who encourages you to stop by the Human Rights Education Institute and spend a few moments contemplating what Gandhi's words, and our local artists, have to say about your take on life.