Insensitivity to suffering
dr_ph...@yahoo.com
described on TV , whether it is famine, genocide, disease etc. I ask
myself why I feel so insensitive to their suffering? Here are some
reasons I have come up with:
1) We should not interfere with Darwin's natural selection. People
make poor choices and need to experience pain in order to evolve. If
I step in and solve the problem by donating money, I am basically
paying for this tragedy to continue generation after generation. It
needs to stop , and they have to learn from their mistakes.
2) Since their suffering has no effect on my well-being, why should I
care?
3) The situations are results of very complicated interactions. How
can I claim to understand it by watching a 5 minute video by an
idealistic white western reporter? Since I don't understand the
problem, why should I do anything to intervene?
4) Media is known for exagerrating suffering to attract viewers.
After I factor out their exagerations, is the problem really so
serious after all?
james...@juno.com
I don't think love rests in the emotions. Love rests in action and
is prompted by the will. Defy your survival-oriented brain. I defied
mine
by choosing to be an international development major. But then, I
haven't
lived much. You've lived your life, you have your story to tell.
Kan
<dr_ph...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1180642795....@o5g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
There is plenty the Western world could do with the billions and billions
they have to spend on weapons - space travel - or even how to make tomato
ketchup the right consistency - but not much you can do personally.
The constant plight of the latest in Africa has been going on for yonks.
If the situation has not been resolved - either by wells - irrigation -
education - movement of people then you really do have to ask about the
"intelligence" of those in charge as to why the situation continues.
Why should the individual keep forking out - why does the situation
continue?
Castrate the lot and wipe them out.
I mean that would solve it.
ro...@telus.net
5) Their problems are caused primarily by their awful governments, and
not only is there nothing you can do about them, but if you try, you
are just as likely to make matters worse.
-- Roy L
Gary Childress
> 5) Their problems are caused primarily by their awful governments, and
> not only is there nothing you can do about them, but if you try, you
> are just as likely to make matters worse.
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
This really stirs me up and makes me want to do nothing about the
plight of others.
Gary
ro...@telus.net
<grchi...@aol.com> wrote:
>On Jun 1, 1:40 am, r...@telus.net wrote:
>> 5) Their problems are caused primarily by their awful governments, and
>> not only is there nothing you can do about them, but if you try, you
>> are just as likely to make matters worse.
>
>This really stirs me up and makes me want to do nothing about the
>plight of others.
Removing a screw takes the right screwdriver, and if you try to pull
it with a claw hammer you'll just break off the head.
-- Roy L
tooly
"Kan" <K...@homeworld.here> wrote in message
news:fBJ7i.15132$xU4....@newsfe1-gui.ntli.net...
Study a thing called 'population pyramid'.
These impoverished countries have very 'flat' pyramids where 'high birth
rates' produce a large and disproportionate part of the population that is
non-producing, and which has to be supported by that portion that does
produce [essentially, the very young and the very old].
If you want to really make a difference, inact measures to reduce 'birth
rates'. The math is very explicit in this.
Empower women in those countries as well and make them land owners.
Change attitudes away from slash and burn mentalities to using modern
agricultural science.
Stop clitoral mutiliation and make men see AIDS rationally [and to use
protection].
Promote urbanization and infrastructure development.
And 'educate, educate, educate'. [as footnote, it has been shown education
has a geometric economic impact over generations].
These are all 'internal' changes that need attitude adjustments, that to
date, have been resistant, holding on to war lord competitions and
fractionalism that often leave territories insecure [people cannot live and
grow under insecure conditions].
And stop throwing money at the problems there without rational cause to
remedy the causes of impoverishment. The UN has become a big warehouse of
'beggar' mentalities using the forum to create 'wealth redistribution'
rationale that plays upon the Western guilt complex. There is a large
socialist lean in impoverished places on this planet, that work in opposite
interests to democractic reforms.
The USA and other large contributor nations [european], should get out as
the whole institution has now become corrupted.
The West is not responsible for the internal struggles of an emerging part
of the world no matter how hard we try and attach blame. Where does all
this guilt come from? Cuz, in the meantime, we allow our own societies to
go all to hell by assuaging all this guilt by essentially destroying
ourselves [see Mexican and Muslim invasions that promise to eat us 'inside
out'].
And has anyone noticed that anything 'out of Africa' is violently aggressive
and largely undomesticable. It's a wild and woolly place for sure.
Gary Childress
> >On Jun 1, 1:40 am, r...@telus.net wrote:
> >> 5) Their problems are caused primarily by their awful governments, and
> >> not only is there nothing you can do about them, but if you try, you
> >> are just as likely to make matters worse.
>
> >This really stirs me up and makes me want to do nothing about the
> >plight of others.
>
> Removing a screw takes the right screwdriver, and if you try to pull
> it with a claw hammer you'll just break off the head.
>
> -- Roy L
What?????
mikeg...@xtra.co.nz
He said you cant put out a fire with petrol, cant you read?
MG
Gary Childress
>
> - Show quoted text -
What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?
ro...@telus.net
>What?????
It's a metaphor. Your English teachers probably told you about them
in junior high school.
-- Roy L
Gary Childress
> >On Jun 1, 11:41 am, r...@telus.net wrote:
> >> On Thu, 31 May 2007 23:06:50 -0700, Gary Childress
>
> >> <grchild...@aol.com> wrote:
> >> >On Jun 1, 1:40 am, r...@telus.net wrote:
> >> >> 5) Their problems are caused primarily by their awful governments, and
> >> >> not only is there nothing you can do about them, but if you try, you
> >> >> are just as likely to make matters worse.
>
> >> >This really stirs me up and makes me want to do nothing about the
> >> >plight of others.
>
> >> Removing a screw takes the right screwdriver, and if you try to pull
> >> it with a claw hammer you'll just break off the head.
>
> >What?????
>
> It's a metaphor. Your English teachers probably told you about them
> in junior high school.
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
She did and she told me that they usually have a point to them
relevant to the discussion at hand.
ZerkonX
> I ask myself why I feel so insensitive to their suffering?
>Here are some reasons...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalization_(psychology)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
AlanS
>I often feel nothing while seeing the latest tragedy in Africa
>described on TV , whether it is famine, genocide, disease etc. I ask
>myself why I feel so insensitive to their suffering? Here are some
>reasons I have come up with:
The real reason is distance, literally and figuratively. TV, internet,
papers... etc don't do much in that department.