A

Mercy Strategy 49

for this behavior: First, we have already seen the relationship between
emotional labeling and personal identity. Second, if you look at the list
which describes which mental rooms can see which other rooms, you will
notice that Mercy strategy cannot „see‟ any of the rest of the mind.
Therefore, not only does the Mercy person identify with his own feelings,
but he also does not see any other room of thought. As far as he can tell,
his room is the house. Finally, the Mercy person has the ability to
concentrate.A When the Mercy person is in pursuit of a goal, he is capable
of ignoring all of the rest of the world. This single-mindedness can extend
even to physical movement. Some Mercy persons are constantly bruising
their bodies: In their enthusiasm to arrive at a destination, they forget that
their path is full of obstacles which must be avoided.
As we go through this book, we will discover many personality traits
which can be either beneficial or harmful, depending upon how they are
used. The emotional tenacity of the Mercy person is one of these
characteristics. I suggest that in its positive form it is the basis for love:
First, as the Mercy person sees other people going through life, he is
automatically reminded of how he felt in similar situations. This provides
the stimulus for love. Second, because Mercy strategy is trapped within the
internal world of emotional experiences, these feelings of empathy cannot
be avoided. This gives the motivation for love. Finally, when the Mercy
person decides to do something, he can use concentration to ignore the
actions and words of others. This gives love its strength.
The problem arises when the Mercy person tries to impose his standards of
„love‟ upon those around him. He can be so convinced that others should
love what he loves and hate what he hates that he may turn into a type of
emotional dictator—all in the name of love. As long as others live by his
standards of „love,‟ all is sweetness and light. But, if they dare to express
feelings which are contrary to his own, then he will drop subtle hints, give
them „the look,‟ or even throw a temper tantrum in order to impose his
emotional standards upon his surroundings, all the while convinced that he
is spreading love.
I suggest that this same error of thinking can occur in cultures or groups of
people which strongly emphasize Mercy thought. For instance, the
guerrilla „freedom‟ fighter usually comes from a peasant background, in
which life is limited to concrete experiences and where actions are guided
by „gut feelings.‟ B He becomes so obsessed with his effort to teach others

A We will look at concentration in more detail later on. Both behavior and

neurology suggest that mental concentration is handled by three of the
seven mental rooms: Mercy, Teacher and Contributor.
B The leaders may have other motivations. However, the rank and file

revolutionary fighters are usually either peasants or manual laborers.