Should We Be Decent Or Indecent?

Words can be misleading.

We may think the word ‘decent’ describes a kind person, while indecent means a vulgar person.

Decent: conforming with generally accepted standards of respectable or moral behaviour – fitting in.
Indecent: not conforming with generally accepted standards of behaviour – not fitting in

Doesn’t it all depend on the culture?

If we fit in to external standards, are we decent people?
If we do not fit in with external standards, are we indecent people?

If we fit in to organised religion, are we decent people?
If we do not fit in to organised religion, are we indecent people?

From an enlightened (interior knowledge) point of view, unenlightened people are indecent because they do not conform to enlightened standards.

From worldly (exterior knowledge) point of view, enlightened people are indecent people because they do not conform to conventional standards.

Should we be decent or indecent?
In order to be be skilful, we need to be both.

Decent people live on indecent islands of paranoia.
Indecent people sail between these islands, realising that, at heart, we are all decent, enlightened, pure consciousness.

Paranoia: a mental condition characterised by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically worked into an organised system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder.
From Greek, from paranoos ‘distracted’, from para ‘irregular’ + noos ‘mind’.