Thread: Human Compassion

Originally Posted by majurey

Well if you're born with it does that support the selfish gene explanation? After all, anything innate would be genetic?

No. Those must be aberrations. Sociopathy occurs very rarely. I think what we're born with is a defense mechanism that gives us the care we need to survive. We're so helpless for the first few years.

X

This reminds me of a great movie quote.
it goes something like this.

"In every mans hart there is a battle between good and evil.
which one wins.
The one the world feeds most"

I really think there is something to this, I also think that there is a hero in all of us but we don't all get the opportunity to show it.

another thought: we all seem to want to help the people we know but in todays society we are surrounded by people we do not know and its all to easy to ignore them.

Its like a theres a instinctive tribe mentality (survival of the tribe) and if there is some bond with with another individual we will try to help them with no bond they become the other tribe. Sometimes this bond is quite tenuous like here its str8's it could be football, golf or anything you can find that bonds you in some small way.

The problems start when people cannot relate on some level.

True compassion doesn't exist.

Yeah. That mother Theresa. I mean what a poser.

Originally Posted by heliguy

"In every mans hart there is a battle between good and evil.
which one wins.
The one the world feeds most"

That's from Natural Born Killers I think.

X

Oh boy. On one hand, I wish you had not raised the question. The reason I say this is, I could never narrow the plethora of information into a concise response. I have neither the time nor skill. Suffice it to say, compassion is one of the core principles of Buddhism. It is generally defined as the desire to alleviate the suffering of others as well as oneself. There are different types of suffering and reasons for them, but there are also ways to eliminate suffering. Through compassion towards ourselves and others, we practice principles that work toward reducing and eliminating suffering. There is an innate potential for compassion, but we also know that it must be cultivated, just like other skillful means. Like was said here, one can feed greed, hatred, and delusions, or one can feed, generoscity, loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. For many hours of material on the subject, search this site: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index.html. A few places to start if truely interested: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/a...ka/whyend.html http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/a...ompassion.html and http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/a.../nutshell.html.

Brief outline of a few ideas...then I'm staying out of this.

1) compassion exists and is inherent in the human condition because it is a value god blessed us with.

2) Compassion is a method to ensure the survival of the specieis and so is in herent in the human condition.

3) Compassion is the expression of selfishness (even compassion resulting in death) because it is hoped that the act would be returned if the situation was reversed.

4) Compassion is not inherent to humans, it is a learned behavior, valued by our society but not others.

5) Compassion is an attempt to impress others, even if it results in death, it will ensure you a place of honor which is more important than life to others.


Thats it, I'm out.

Yeah, Todd. We don't always view virtues or emotions as active skill sets here in the western world, but it's very true. People can tell you they feel love for you, but unless they show it through an action like a hug or an act of kindness, it's still just a promise.

I remember saying to one of my brothers, tears ago when he was living on the road and had come to crash on my couch with a buddy that my roommates were feeling anxious because he didn't respect our space. He protested that he did, and I told him to show it. They continued to eat all our food until it earned him a punch in the head. He left the next day. Compassion had run out.

As for you Mr. Patton
1) Replace 'god blessed' with 'nature endowed' (which is the intended meaning anyhow) and I agree 100%

2) I can see that.

3) I think you're smoking crack. I used to think my desire to see others happy because I enjoyed it was a kind of selfishness, but I'm convinced it's not. This is how compassion is ingrained. It breeds happiness in ourselves. We feel good about our sacrifice even to the point of death.

4) I think it must be learned to some degree, or more precisely cultivated. The wolf I feed. But I can't think of or even imagine a society which doesn't value it.

5) Naw. That's a tactical maneuver designed to improve one's position without a feeling of pleasure through altruistic action. It's not the same thing.

X

It seems to me that true compassion comes from realizing that one has a greater purpose than just following ones whims of fancy or wants! it seems to me that one must see that he is not the zenith of all creation,just the hand maiden of creation!
for without this understanding one can only play at compassion!
Compassion is a deep well of love that most of us are incapable of in our present, selfish condition. Only with the understanding that we are caretakers of all creation, starting with ourselves, then our family, and then out from there spreading in an ever larger circle can we become compassionate in its truest sense of the word!

Mark Avery

Originally Posted by JMS

It seems to me that true compassion comes from realizing that one has a greater purpose than just following ones whims of fancy or wants! it seems to me that one must see that he is not the zenith of all creation,just the hand maiden of creation!
for without this understanding one can only play at compassion!
Compassion is a deep well of love that most of us are incapable of in our present, selfish condition. Only with the understanding that we are caretakers of all creation, starting with ourselves, then our family, and then out from there spreading in an ever larger circle can we become compassionate in its truest sense of the word!

Mark Avery

Yeah. What he said.

But apart from the fact that I believe in a higher purpose, I do certain things because I think they are the right thing. I cannot give a reason why I do those things, only that doing them seems the right thing to do. I don't gain anything from them, they cost money and I don't even take credit so afaics there is no direct gain for myself.

As Granny Weatherwax said: Good and Bad are rubbish, but there is such a thing as Right and Wrong. (Actually what she said was slightly different, but I cannot consult my books at the moment).

But who is to say that it is the right thing? People who blow them selves up in a crowd think they are doing the right thing. That they will gain a high place in the after life. I think true and total compassion can never be attained. Compassion is an action of knowing right from wrong, no matter who is doing the wrong. Their are many stories from wars, were soldiers in the field have let each other live, when the could have killed the other. These men felt that compassion. We feel it after a tragedy, Katrina, Mine cave in, Little Girl stuck in a well. I don't know who places that value system, but humans have it. I think that is part of what makes us human.

Phil