The media is very good at using this to stir people up too, they are well aware of the phenomena. A *lot* of people are compassionate about social justice nowadays, how do you think they were able to stir up worldwide unrest after one guy was killed unjustly by the police? (yes.. even Britain and France did this nonsense) It's crazy how worked up people get, especially when you consider that the guy didn't even get away with it...

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I think there's definitely a sliding scale here. It's not that some people are compassionate and everyone else is not compassionate. People are moved by different things and to different degrees. I do agree with your point that those who are highly motivated by emotion are prone to prejudice. Emotion needs to be tempered with logic. It's very common (and always has been) for people to take one thing out of context and just run with it and go kind of crazy.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

People who think they're logical and dispassionate are often incorrect and cannot recognize prejudice and bias in themselves. They will instead try to justify their beliefs by doing things like cherry-picking evidence.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I mean, of course. Everyone's human. Any attempt to be *truly* logical and dispassionate absolutely **has** to come with **heaping** portions of humility, self-reflection, and a willingness to be wrong. It's definitely true that a lot of people think of themselves as "logical and dispassionate" more as a matter of personal identity than sincere practice, and these people are all the more susceptible to prejudice and bias *because* they think they're immune. They're often particularly biased against positions they see as driven by emotion, which can lead them to reflexively adopt and fiercely defend the opposite position. Still, I think OP is absolutely correct here. Compassionate people *are* easily manipulated, especially by stories that paint others as victims, and they're much more likely to dismiss anyone who disagrees with them as a "bad" person than listen to alternative viewpoints or consider conflicting evidence.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

And people who think they're logical and dispassionate are frequently just as easy, if you just appeal to their egos or claim that anyone who disagrees is stupid and emotional, and unwilling to listen to reason.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Yup.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Everyone's got something. This is why I always say there's a cult or scam out there for everyone.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Well, this is pretty similar to the Paradox of Tolerance. "A tolerant society should not tolerate intolerance, or they will eventually become an intolerant society."

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Something something feeling is not thinking something something. You hit this one out of the park, OP. Good show.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

OP is not compassionate confirmed.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

It's not about being compassionate, it's about choosing a side and sticking with them, it's just pack mentality, and everyone has this trait, it's unavoidable.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

You're correct. But don't fall into the trap of assuming compassion-motivated positions are always wrong, for that way knee-jerk contrarianism lies. Remember: compassion and victim-narratives are but one tool that can be used to manipulate you. Appeals to your identity (and perhaps, sense of superiority?) as "rational" or "emotionally detached" person are another… to which you may be more susceptible. Watch out for that.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

That's why it's better to be truly empathetic rather than just compassionate bc my empathy allows me to decide whether or not I should have sympathy for you. And oddly enough usually it's my empathy that can make me appear apathetic at times. Bc sometimes, we are the sources of our own problems. It's not that I don't care, it's just that you done played yourself smh

by Anonymous 1 year ago