Empathy and Morality
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*I promise to explain the picture later.
I saw a post through something on Twitter ( @lucydrakeandco ) and it was asking about David Hulme's sensible knave. The basic gist is "why be moral or kind, when being moral or kind doesn't seem to have an advantage?"
There are always going to be people who see situations as games and people as objects. They seem to reap endless benefits from serving just themselves.
The thing is if you can not connect to other people, if you view them as less than or things, if you do not feel, there is something fundamentally human missing from you.
In the last century there started to see this shift away from what had been thought of as "good"; charity, kindness, concern for your fellow human beings, especially for you community were the norm. Even if you were a sociopath who only wanted power you had to appear just, kind and compassionate.
Even after the first two world wars there was enough of a sense of community, family and kinship that the general behaviour of most ordinary people was that of kindness.
After the 1960's social and emotional awakening, and the disappointment and bitterness of many who had tried peace and love and didn't feel it worked there was a great anger.
By the 1980's many of these communities were deliberately destroyed and the idea the "greed is good" took hold in a way that really shaped the world.
The less connected we are with our communities and other people the easier it is to be selfish and self serving.
We know that being "moral"** and kind does have an advantage. It makes us healthier, happier and saner. You are a social animal and we have evolved to be in co-operate communities because we survive better when we do. When we are kind and compassionate, when we empathise we are more mentally flexible and able to adapt.
Helping someone or something that is helpless like a bedraggled abandoned tiny kitten may not help us in the short term but it allows us to nurture, empathise and mentally adapt. Vital tools when we come up against problems we could not have imagined.
This is why we didn't just let out old weak, sick or disabled die. Because their knowledge, ability, or an ability we learned caring for them could come in handy later.
When my father-in-law came out of hospital he came to stay with us for quite a while. We learned a lot, dressed his wounds, sorted out his medication and while it was like dealing with a surly teenager we did what we could for him.
Pop's has since passed and although it was stressful and upsetting sometimes I was in a field camping when a friend was complaining about his foot. I had seen endless foot and leg wounds with Pop's so I offered to have a look and clean it up. I took one look (he wanted just some antibacterial stuff on it and to carry on camping.
I took one look and I knew he needed to in hospital. I could see bone. It took a while but we got him to hospital.
He still has issues on and off (he like Pop's is diabetic), but he (unlike Pop's) never lost any part of his foot.
This guy works in the NHS (I don't really know the details) but he helps keep a system that helps millions of people. In helping one or two people I helped millions of people! Everyone has a purpose, a gift a skill. There have been times when it was fundamental to our survival that we worked together, in communities and families. Our skills, and knowledge's get passed along and around and it will benefit us, even if we can not see it!
The NHS stops diseases spreading by treating everyone. In this way we are healthier as a nation. People don't get into debt get by having to pay their medical bills and criminals then can not profit from this. Is it perfect? No. It does however allow people who might die to contribute in positive ways. Ways we can not always see. Yes it is expensive but even having free medical interventions stops people dying and helps babies live that without help might die. Who knows what they might grow-up to invent, or become. Like-wise abortions are also free too. Allow women healthy choices about their body and lives.
If we become numb to the suffering of others (that doesn't mean we should wallow with them) we damage the whole. We are after all, one race, the human race. Our survival as a species will depend on our adaptability, community is our greatest ally in that.
The sensible knave (a knave is a medieval equivalent of asrehole/shit/low) can not see that being moral, kind and just does benefit him. Selfishness is short-sighted. It doesn't see the big picture and it tends to destroy rather than build. This why Government fear communities, especially female run ones. They are a force to be reckoned with. Moral** is different for different people. The personal code with which you conduct your life both internally and externally is is a road map of connection. It is a key of adaptation. It also has the benefit of making you happy!
Bright Blessing xxx
(not bad for writing with a migraine huh?)
