Consistency is for the mules

“There are those who would misteach us that to stick in a rut is consistency - and a virtue; and that to climb out of the rut is inconsistency - and a vice.”

Mark Twain, Consistency speech, in 1887

If gods have several avatars and many moods, man has many faces, and identities. Thus to expect consistency, firmness of character, and persistence of characteristics previously shown in men is, akin to expecting dependability in a god.

Whosoever was so foolish as to depend on gods to fulfil his wishes, may as well depend upon a mule to achieve his ends. In fact, a mule - that hybrid between an ass and a horse - may be sterile, but is consistent: more than any man or god. Mules, in fact are, considered to have and exhibit “hybrid vigour”; meaning that they display the best qualities of their genetic mix, which is not always the case with men; and perhaps humans ought to be thankful for it because, if we did possess “hybrid vigour;” with the passage of time, we would all be biological robots.

Mules have the strength, size, and vigour of their mother horse, combined with the stamina, sure-footedness, intelligence, and stoic nature of their donkey father.

A well-trained mule can be very dependable, calm, and steady; traits that men lack but explains the consistency in mules and the inconsistency in men. However, one common trait with some men and all mules is, as with their donkey father, mules have an undeserved reputation for stubbornness.

Having inherited the donkey’s intelligence and instinct for self-preservation, mules simply tend to avoid putting themselves in danger or being overworked. What can appear as, stubbornness may actually be fear or confusion, which may also be the cause with stubborn men.

A comparison between man and mule is interesting: Mules are intelligent and learn quickly. While all mules are thus empowered, the same cannot be said of, men. Mules, however, can learn equally from both bad and good experiences and training; a quality not unlike that of men. It is important to understand the nature and behaviour of the mule, so that one realises the importance of sensitivity, consistency, patience, and calmness that defines the qualities of a mule: attributes that are lacking in most human kind.

When properly trained, a mule is loyal, obliging, tolerant, affectionate, and calm: qualities never consistent, and never to be trusted with in men.

Thus, unlike the mule, the only constant exhibited by man is, his inconsistency. Mutability of temper and the inconsistency of the self is the greatest weakness of human nature. Yet, having said, all that I have said in praise of consistency; I will courageously venture to embrace and exhibit the inconsistent nature of man, and say that to be inconsistent is also the great strength of the human race.

For, who wants to be like a mule? Surely, man was not born to be like, and act like a mule; even if some men are more akin to be like its father, the donkey. Consistency is contrary to nature, contrary to the nature of man, contrary to life. The only person who can be completely consistent, are the dead; because consistency requires you to be, as ignorant today as you were a year ago.

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do.

He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow, speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. ‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh.

To be great is to be misunderstood,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century in his book, Self-Reliance. Perhaps, in the light of such an irrefutable argument favouring inconsistency, I suppose I must say that, after all, our politicians are not mules. Do they not exhibit the greatest weakness of human nature - mutability of temper and inconsistency of the self - and thus prove their great strength of character.

I am persuaded, and forced to concede that the world may have been tricked into adopting some false and most pernicious notions about consistency; and to such a degree that the average person has turned the rights and wrongs of things entirely around and is proud to be “consistent,” unchanging, immovable, fossilised; whereas, it should be his humiliation.

However, not for our politicians are such humiliations and false flights of fancy as consistency. No one can trick them that easily and make them consistent. They have in fact made a virtue of inconsistency. Praise be unto them, and thank be upon all the gods, that have enriched our lives with such inconsistent souls.

Consistency of discipline is a necessity for great achievements; to be gained slowly over time. For success is the natural consequence of, consistently applying fundamentals of discipline and being educated in the habits of concentration and application. However, consistency of thought and imagination is the hallmark of the unimaginative. Humans vary in character and capacity, as much with understanding and behaviour.

Thus, to expect consistency amidst such inconsistency is to tie oneself to a rock and expect to move. Hence, free yourself from the shackles of consistency.

Consistency is like a contraceptive, it prevents the birth of new things, new thoughts, and new ideas. Thus, if excellence is habit, consistency is the hallmark of the barren.

Most people either compromise or drop their greatest talents and start running after, what they perceive to be, a more reasonable and consistent success. Success is neither magical nor mysterious.

It is the natural consequence of consistently applying, basic fundamentals. However, somewhere in between success and consistency, they end up with a discontented settlement.

Thus, safety in consistency may indeed be stability, but it is not progression.

Progression requires us to create a new set of rituals regularly, and not be, cornered by the unchanging stability of consistency. Inconsistency is a great door for the change and for the progression! Thus, never hesitate to be inconsistent.

Since the beginning of time, great minds have debated the true key to happiness. Some say fame, others say fortune; still others search in vain for a fountain of youth.

Ours is a culture of wants and needs - and most of us convince ourselves that once we get what we want, we will be happy.

Evidence to the contrary be damned; and so we spend our whole life consistently insisting on getting what we want in the hope of finding happiness.

Let alone the fact that one cannot always get what one wants, even those who get what they want are still unhappy.

Real and lasting happiness comes from something different - something elegantly simple and entirely attainable; and that is not the consistency of the mule.

In practice, such trifles as contradictions in principle are easily set aside; the faculty of ignoring them makes the practical man; and life is all about being practical.

May 2014 be the year of inconsistency and may it bring health of heart, wealth of mind,peace and contentment.

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