Today’s Word of the Day is “Jeremiad.”
jer·e·mi·ad | \ ˌjer-ə-ˈmī-əd
Synonyms
diatribe, philippic, rant, tirade
Did You Know?
Jeremiah was a naysayer. That Jewish prophet lived from about 650 to 570 BC. He spent his days lambasting the Hebrews for their false worship and social injustice. He denounced the king for his selfishness, materialism, and inequities. When not calling on his people to quit their wicked ways, he was lamenting his own lot. A portion of the Old Testament’s Book of Jeremiah is devoted to his “confessions,” a series of lamentations on the hardships endured by a prophet with an unpopular message. Nowadays, English speakers use “Jeremiah” for a pessimistic person and “jeremiad” for the way these Jeremiahs carry on.
********
The Book of Jeremiah is one of the more depressing books in the Judaeo-Christian canon. Little wonder then that the prophet’s name should become so intimately associated with terms like “complaint,” “harangue,” “rant,” and “diatribe.” But I have a theory…
********
What if the reason Jeremiah was such a pisser had nothing to do with divine inspiration, very little to do with the Hebrews’ fecklessness, and still less to do with their kings’ selfish materialism? I mean, after all, if you’ve read the Scriptures, you know that the Hebrews were
continually that way – faithless and fickle – from time immemorial. Nothing particularly different about them in Jeremiah’s time. Furthermore, consider this: You show me a king who’s an idealistic dreamer, and I’ll show you a king who doesn’t stay a king for very long. Materialism and a big Ego come with the kingly territory. <And if you don’t believe me, then
I say you’ve not been paying attention since 45 took office – but I digress.> You don’t have to be particularly cynical to see the kernel of truth in all this: The real wonder is
not that Jeremiah was so negative. Rather, the wonder is that
every prophet isn’t just like Jeremiah.
********
So then, the problem is not so much specific to a particular set of surroundings at a unique juncture of history – because it has ever been thus. Neither is it a universal experience of a dark night of the soul leaking out of the prophet’s pores and fouling his outlook on life. If that were the case then Jeremiah wouldn’t have his name up there at the top of the prophetic billboard with the title of Complainer-in-Chief – because such folks would be a dime a dozen. So, what sets Jeremiah apart?
********
My theory goes like this: Maybe it’s because of something serious, something specific, something not at all universal – and definitely not something divinely inspired. Something lying there like a hot rock beneath Jeremiah’s skin causing his dark world view. Something like, say, chronic pain? To put it bluntly: What if Jeremiah had Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
********
It would explain his uniquely, relentlessly pessimistic output. People in chronic pain are rarely a cheery lot. Neither do they tend toward life-of-the-party bonhomie. Instead, they tend to hold themselves apart, in shame as much as in pain. They look for reasons the world has somehow seemingly taken a wrong turn. Sometimes they project their own sorry state onto the people and situations surrounding them. They get a bit touchy and judgmental. And given half a chance, they might even go on a rant or a tirade. Sound familiar? It should.
********
Anyway, it’s just a theory. Hey, I’m no forensic psychologist – nor indeed, any kind of psychologist. Maybe Jeremiah was a sky-high optimist, singing like a lark most days. Yeah, and maybe he was happily married, gainfully employed, and had not a care in the world. Oh, and maybe his bowels were regular, and his overall outlook – when he wasn’t lambasting the king and everyone else in sight – was as sunny as a summer’s day. Yeah, sure – it’s gotta be at least possible, right? <Wanna bet? Go on, I dare ya…>
********
All I know for sure is this: I don’t deal well when things aren’t going well for me physically – especially when it comes to pain. And that goes double when it’s affecting my lower digestive tract. Me personally, one little twinge down there and I’m loaded for bear. So, believe what you will…
********
Oh, and one other thing? I bet you’ll never read the Book of Jeremiah the same way again: Just sayin’.
