If someone has empathy, they can overcome
their prejudice and hatred based on ignorance
by unlearning it and adopting new views --
However, you cannot do this if you lack
the necessary empathy in the first place.
It's why the very concept of empathy is
always attacked by the extremist right --
42 comments:
Love this. Thank you.
No way! That is Stevie Joe Payne! My friend!
I love visiting him. He is getting old
The dismissal of everything about equality and justice as woke these days makes me sick!
dear Debra if it was in my hands this post deserve a Nobel prize !
loved each bit of what you shared here and i agree to it Completely !
i think the only quality that separate us from other species is humanity on which empathy is on Top most .
hugs and blessings!
And of these the most crude is "politically correct" a clever way to dismiss politeness and concern for the feelings of others.
This is a brilliant post, absolutely relevant to all that is going on in the world today, particularly in the US "red states" and the US Congress and Supreme Court. But it is hard to fathom that so many of our leaders lack empathy. But is exactly that. The question is: Is there a cure?
P.S. I hope it's OK if I use this post in some of my on line commentary. Thanks.
Thank you so much for this. I am a single parent of two young people in high school (Deirdre and Liam). I am 61 years of age, so I am quite a bit older than most other parents in their school. Liam and Deirdre teach me new things all of the time, and I am so proud of them. They and their friends are wide awake, treating other people with inclusion and respect. They give me great hope for the future, as does this post.
I am not so sure "there is ZERO excuse". That kind of dismissive thinking reeks of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality. Different people have different openness to experience. Different people are exposed to different influences and social forces. Different people have different stakes in terms of what they lose should they change their minds in public. It is fine that one person managed to overcome their conservative upbringing to become woke or whatever, but that does not imply every person should be able to do so, or even that a majority should.
@ Old Lurker -- I feel sad for people who remain stuck in poisonous hatred and bigotry for their lifetimes. But you're right -- they're free to not change. But that does not justify them hurting or harming others because of their lack of growth.
The term woke--slang for awake--originated in the black community, meaning, among other things, to be politically aware. That right-wingers would adopt such a term as a slur reek of racism. Of course, no surprise there.
@ Kirk -- I did not know who coined the term "woke" although I did know it was meant to be a positive characteristic. Thanks for the origin info!
These are all excellent! Nice theme today, Debra. :)
Thank you! @kirk, thanks for that lesson. I always learn something new from you. It's why I love your blog so much!
I agree that this is an excellent post! Thanks for sharing ~
bobbie
A lot of these talking points can be applied to the other side of the aisle too. Just saying that the extremists on both sides of the aisle are equally guilty over what you've posted here. Personally, I've become more moderate/centrist in my beliefs and none of what I've seen here applies to me.
@ G.B. Miller -- Yes, that's certainly true. However, it's not the extreme left currently threatening to drag western democracy back into the dark abyss of authoritarianism, so that's why we need to understand this in the context of the extreme right at the moment.
We were just talking about an acquaintance who seems to have absolutely no empathy. Would love to meet Stevie Joe Pyne. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could force automatic software updates on everyone.
Hear hear and ha ha too. I am a Gen Xer and admittedly woke and so tired of the manure piles here and there in Alberta (and elsewhere). Fingers crossed for this election, eh?
Everyone has already said what I was thinking. Great post.
I hope Egghead realizes what a giant hole they dug themselves out of. I too had to do a little digging.
Love the software update guy, but someone needs to help him accessorize the shirt properly. Those shorts have got to go :-)
@ Mike -- Yes, I think everybody has had to unlearn bad beliefs and ignorant views and relearn better ways of seeing ourselves and others. I know I've had to. Racism, sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, ableism, transphobia, islamophobia, the list goes on and on. And we should never stop hearing the truths which members of these groups tell us.
Your memes invoke deep thoughts about the irony of our modern society.
Your last remark, Debra, to @Mike covers a broad and deep playing field. Far more than I can cover. Thank you.
Quite enlightening. I appreciate you sharing it and it makes sense.
I always find it hilarious when people call others a snowflake, as if they're so delicate, that they wouldn't survive on their own. Obviously, these people using snowflake as a derogatory name have never dealt with real snow, because snowflakes are fucking dangerous.
I had not seen that conclusion by the Nuremberg Trial psychologist.
I think it is more than ironic that "Christians" can treat some people with no empathy. I guess they pick and choose what they want from the teachings of Jesus.
@Mandeline
Yes, I've read that "woke" goes back to the 1930s, though I think its use as a FAVORABLE political term begins in the 21st century.
wonderful post. so many people lack empathy and the chances of them ever developing it later in life is slim to none.
I keep learning, keep changing, I have come so far from the one horse town I came from. Sadly many never left the place they came from.
I'm glad Jesus, the epitome of wokeness, is included.
Love Stevie Joe. I keep having to relearn.
Great post, Debra. The absence of empathy is indeed a key characteristic of sociopathy/psychopathy which allows for the dehumanization of one group of people by another. The jump from racist beliefs en masse to extermination camps is not as big as most people think, which is why democracies have to maintain educated citizenry and equip them with the critical thinking skills so they don't get sucked in by scapegoating populist politicians peddling simplistic solutions to complex problems.
Wonderful post, Debra! There is never a justification for hurting or harming others. Thank goodness for empathetic people. We need more of them!
My parents support Barry Goldwater. But I try to be inform and well-read. It not and ending thing.
Coffee is on and stay safe.
These are all great. It insane how being a nice, caring person has all of a sudden become a bad thing.
I especially love the hardware, software analogy
Brilliant
Again The Orange Monster can be blamed for making a lack of empathy look admirable and a sign of strength.
Such a great post.
There is definitely not a lot of empathy in the Republican Party
We have to keep going. Last time i checked, they are not so powerful as they pretend to be.
I think they are all confused and fucked up. We do not have to agree with those attitudes. Anyone can see what happens when we let this happen.
We get war, we get dictators, we get refugees, we get all the Big Bizness Man!
Me, i am sorry to see this.
I can't tell you how sad.
Anyway, i hope.
Adam, that is not our job. We are not here to babysit the Republican Party. Try some Cree Round Dance Songs.
I like Young Spirit, because free on you tube.
I love this so much..thanks.
Debra, this is your best post ever. I love your serious side so much. Took me a long time to go from right of Genghis Khan to left of Malcolm X. Still battling racism in my mind. My kids are all SJW and I am so proud of them.
Post a Comment