In many theories of social construction a great deal of debate focuses on whether or not the most fundamental aspect of human nature, emotion, is, itself, a product of social construct. Emphasis supporting this claim seems to orbit around the notion that certain emotions that existed at one time in a particular culture have waned or ceased to exist all together. It is my belief, however, that it is impossible to categorize or label an emotion purely by virtue of its public display, or lack thereof. Therefore, the idea that emotions are socially constructed seems to be nothing more than the idea of an ever-changing cultural perspective of linguistic framework.
             One of the emotions brought up in social construction argument is accidie. Before we can decide the role of this emotion in the context of social construction, it is important to understand exactly what is meant by the word. Accidie, in its simplest form, means the rejection of life. It has been likened to more contemporary terms such as sloth or laziness; however, these ideas seem to have a more trivial nature when juxtaposed with the original cultural significance of accidie. (Harre & Finlay-Johns 1986) Unlike its counterparts, accidie is a form of spiritual despair, a refusal of grace, or in the words of Chaucer, "a bargain with nothingness that shuts out God's gift of new possibility." (Brown, 2001) Accidie is a spiritual listlessness, a reluctance or a refusal to respond to a higher power.
             Although, to this point, the idea of accidie has centered on a religious spectrum, spirituality is not the only realm of emotional existence affected by accidie. Religion is merely the core or nucleus of its effects. It is a passing shrinking from creative existence. Accidie, in effect, is a dampening down of one's inner life, living at a minimal level of mind and heart, and letting all thoughts and feelings die.
             So is it possible that such an...