Recently on a message board I frequent someone posted about something called ‘The 10% Theory”, the gist of which is that 10% of people are here just to wreak havoc on the rest of us by stupid, confusing, or downright cruel behavior. I disagree, and came up with the 100% Theory, which is that 100% of people are here trying to do the best they can. I have yet to meet anyone who is intentionally stupid or confused. I have yet to meet any angry, belligerent, controlling or aggressive person who wasn’t acting from the viewpoint of their personal self- defense. At their core they see themselves as victims and many of their destructive behaviors comes from an extremely frightened ‘get them before they get me/take from me/hurt me/wreck my life’ mentality. Even this type of person is trying the best they can within that framework of relating to people. For that they should be pitied I feel. But first they must be recognized.

Merely dismissing them as stupid, or cruel, or shit-makers can overlook the havoc and misery and even sheer horror they can cause…hitler was such a person, jim jones was such a person. How different would their lives have been as well as the people they impacted to the point of death, if they had been recognized as damaged disturbed people in need of help? and the people who helped them in their destruction, who went along with them, equally disturbed and messed up mentally. Those of us in the ’90%’ of your theory might help push along humanity socially by figuring out how we will positively approach, deal with, and ‘manage’ such people. I think it starts with ourselves, as individuals, developing a strong inner core that helps deflect the influence of a persistent person operating with a frightened, damaged ego. That way you don’t react/twig out over some crazy-maker on a message board, because you are able to recognize that they are coming from a place of fear extremity that has nothing to do with you…you don’t allow them to disturb your equilibrium or peace of mind. You deal with them appropriately and keep it moving.

anyway…this has been on my mind lately also. It is a battle for me daily to simply treat others with kindness. I seriously try to interact with every person I come across in that way. I find it very, very, very difficult to do, and I note that when it is a particular struggle, it’s because I am feeling defensive towards them for whatever reason. If I find it frightening sometimes merely to smile at another person in a grocery store check-out line, how much more frightened inside is the person in the next line over going off on the clerk over an expired coupon? Seriously, we are all doing the best we can out here in this world. everyone is struggling with something…even the people in this 10 percent theory.

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