• Glossary
Guilt
Guilt is a person’s state caused by either his feeling of a debt, or duty, to a higher something or someone which he remembers, or his violation of his debt, or duty. That is why the concept of debt, or duty, and guilt are often used in combination with each other or mean the same thing. Russian “vina” (“guilt, fault”) contains the same root that is present in Russian “vino” (“wine”) and “vintazh” (“vintage”). “Vintage” is derived from Old French “vendenge” and Latin “vindemia” (“grape-gathering, produce of a vineyard in any given year, wine-making”) — “vinum” (“wine”) and “demo” (“taking off or away, removing”). Wine is matured in particular conditions which must give it the right qualities. The wine must pass these qualities to the person who “entrusted” it with the task. Here, the person is a creditor, from Latin “credere” (“to believe, to trust”) and the wine is his debtor. The debtor’s guilt and the fact of his being away from the creditor make him collect, within himself, what he will have to return to the creditor. The more mature the wine, the greater the ease and quality with which it gives itself up. The person who is feeling guilty feels that he has taken something valuable from the other person. When an opportunity presents itself, he will have to return this valuable thing and even add a little more to it in order to placate his guilt and make it up to the creditor. The longer the debtor feels guilty, the more willing he will be to pay off his debt so he could rid himself of the heavy feeling. When we tell someone they are guilty of wronging us, we believe they owe us something, a debt. Therefore, when we accuse someone, we inform them that they owe us something. Like drinking a good wine, receiving what someone owes us is followed by a pleasant feeling and a good mood.