My time in the army is a perfect example. Sighing, huffing, rolling eyes, then saying, 'Yes Drill Sgt.' (Or Sgt.) was as bad as not doing as ordered. A soldier is always to speak with motivation. With a sense of purpose. "YES, DRILL SERGEANT!!" Why was it never enough to simply do what I was told?
In the Army, I understood, the value of morale. So, I guess it makes sense. Keeping spirits high spurs a fighting mentality.
What about the authorities in your life that care about you? Why do they need a good attitude to accompany requests? "Don't you roll your eyes at me young lady." A ma or pa might say. Or, at my job, when I send a resident to his room and he cusses me out hurling any insult he can think of my way, I have a hard time not wanting to ring his neck, even though he just obeyed me. Maybe, the caring authorities are deep down hurt or saddened. Those feeling convert to anger.
Plus, a caring authority knows a bad attitude will do nothing to improve a miserable lot. (You might ask: Will a good attitude? That is not the focus of this post. You can read here for that pondering.)
But, just as the Cantor of Zaide suggests, why do authorities need to control mood as well as behavior. Sure, there is the element of respect. Sometimes, when a resident gives me a bad attitude, there are times when I don't care. (Maybe that is because I don't care). But, my employer will not let blatant disrespect slip without consequence. So, I can see how allowing disrespect to continue could set a bad precedent. And, I see how letting attitude shred a person's soul is bad for the cared one. So for a resident's and the residency's interest, it is good to address poor attitudes.
Let's forget what is in the best interest of the subordinate. And, blatant disrespect. What about the authorities that are really out to crush soul and spirit of a subordinate?
How did such attitude-battles play out among Colloredo, Leopold, and Mozart? Like two stallions and a gelding locked in a corral. Colloredo likely wanted to crush Leopold. Mozart was caught in the middle. Who was out for Mozart's best interest? (Read here for my theory.) Whatever anyone wanted is not too important. But, Mozart was likely long-faced during the Zaide period. All the while, voices were trying to 'make' him happy. Forced glee.
As I have listened over and over to the jovial slave cantor, Psalm 137 came to mind. An infamous Psalm with the bit about dashing infants against the rocks. (Possibly the reason why one shouldn't cling to bitter moods.) Yet, one of the powers of the Psalms is the conveying of real emotions. 137 is a Psalm of captive people. Enraged with their captors. Sorrowed in their captivity. A people who use to delight in the sweetest music. Yet, the have hung up their harps. They refuse to sing in their misery. Then comes this interest passage:
For there our captors
required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
Mirth? Happiness. The captors want them to sing happy songs. Why? Isn't it good enough that they behave? Can't they simply toil in misery? Why do our enemies want us to be 'happy' in our misery?
Is it a matter of pragmatism? Do happy slaves make good slaves? Maybe. But, can you really force anyone to be happy? And besides, wasn't it after Zaide and Gomatz found the thing that made them actually happy, that they became the most rebellious? It doesn't seem as if truly happy slaves would be the best slaves. (At least if the master was cruel and foul.)
Then, I thought of Nehemiah, a slave in his own right (although he had an ok master--if there is such a thing). One day, he was downcast in front of the king (not because of his lot). I remember hearing that even being downcast around the king, was punishable by death. Maybe, that is the key.
Who enjoys being around miserable people? Other people's misery tends to sap joy. Their misery requires effort on our part. To listen. To not ignore. It is a lot of work. What a hassle. And, don't domineering people dominate because they want to rid themselves of misery? Perhaps it is easier to ignore people's problems when one is forcing them to be happy.
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