WSJ Op-Ed: The Gospel Of St. George (Costanza)

Wall Street Journal Op-Ed:  George Costanza’s Guide to Better Living, by Mike Kerrigan (Hunton Andrews Kurth, Charlotte, NC):

In the classic “Seinfeld” episode, “The Opposite,” George Costanza laments during lunch his terrible instincts and their resulting life choices. Hearing this, Jerry Seinfeld observes, “If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.” Inspired, George approaches an attractive woman dining alone and against all instinct tries honesty: “My name is George. I’m unemployed and I live with my parents.” She agrees to a date.

Such wit and wisdom! So what if it’s merely sitcom dialogue? The cannonade behind George Costanza’s newfound approach to living has lit the Western sky for centuries. Support is found in the intellectual artillery of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius of Loyola and C.S. Lewis. ...

Identify the problem (Aquinas), halt and turn (Lewis), and make haste in the opposite direction of bad instinct (Ignatius). No wonder George’s contrarian philosophy worked so well for him. He was standing on the shoulders of giants of Western thought.

Op-Eds by Mike Kerrigan:

• God's Mirth Sanctifies Our Laughter (Apr. 25, 2021)
• My Mom’s Christian Lesson: ‘Offer It Up' (May 16, 2021)
• God’s Jigsaw Puzzle Needs Every Piece (July 18, 2021)
• Love, Duty, And A Friend’s Death (Aug. 1, 2021)
• What Saint Dismas Can Teach Us About Good Friday And Easter (Apr. 17, 2022)
• The Blessing Of A Mother’s Love (May 8, 2022)
• Father's Day And The Prodigal Son (June 19, 2022)
• What Football Can Teach Us About Death: Fathers Are Fullbacks (Oct. 3, 2022)
• St. Thérèse's 'Little Way' To Heaven — Small Deeds Done With Great Love (Oct. 16, 2022)
• Presence (Not Presents): The True Gift Of Christmas (Dec. 25, 2023)