The kindness of strangers

[Skybird]

http://www.project-syndicate.org/com...bloom2/English

Stumbled over this, and liked it. But the decision to post it I formed not before I had read the last sentence, which I like best:

The extension of human morality is a wonderful development for humanity, but it would be even better if it were tempered by cold-blooded rationality.

But take note of the context in which he said this.

[SteamWake]

Dident read the story but yes a little more rationality would be good.

[Castout]

I'd say kindness needs no ratio IDEALLY and it should be universal and impartial notwithstanding race, social standing or class, gender, religion or lack of it, nationality, age, physical attributes and even ideology.

What most of us do not often realize is that we share a lot in common INSIDE much more than we'd otherwise thought or believed.

You are as me and I'm as you. your impatience feels just like mine, your love feels just like my love, your disappointment feels just like mine, and your happiness feels just like mine too regardless of ALL.

Perhaps someday mankind will find a way or evolve to literally feel what others are feeling or like. That would be some dream or a nightmare to some.

[UnderseaLcpl]

I'm of the opinion that biology has more to do with it than anything else, and a little more than the article gives it credit for. While it is true that there is no Darwinian payoff for helping complete strangers, the mechanism is still there and will function in proper circumstances. By the same token, people also kill, rob, rape, and do other terrible things to complete strangers when the chips are down.


Never one to miss a chance to strike a blow for capitalism, whatever the topic, I was happy to see this:

Even the much-maligned force of capitalism might make us nicer. A recent study of 15 diverse populations, reported in the journal Science, found that the societies that treat anonymous strangers most fairly are those with market economies. As Robert Wright has emphasized, as people become increasingly inter-dependent, the scope of moral concern expands accordingly.

Capitalism also creates the resources that make caring possible.

[Flaxpants]

I'm a great believer in Karma. I wholeheartedly believe that by being 'good' you will reap the rewards, be it through luck, fate, or whatever you want to call it.

[Alex]

@ Flaxpants : +1 !

[Skybird]

Every action has reaction, the force you inflict, somehow returns - though maybe not always in a straight line. That's Karma for me - and 20 years ago I used to call myself a buddhist. . That does not necessarily mean that if you are kind, you will reap kindness from others. If the other very different from you, maybe you causally trigger to be kicked by him if you do not show him the line in the sand from early on. . Because always being kind also can be a stupid thing in some situations. And when you are acting stupid, the great cosmic banana skin is getting you somehow, sooner or later - you threw it there yourself, then.

So, just being kind allways, at times may be a way to understand karma too simply. If you think it always gives you back good if you are kind, then you do not believe any different than theists who think if they follow the dogma's rules they will end up in heaven automatically

I do not believe in a general, principal good in all mankind. I believe in some good in some people - with some mor eoften, with others less often. And i never forget that bwhere there is light, there also tend to be shadow.

[Flaxpants]

Originally Posted by Skybird

I do not believe in a general, principal good in all mankind. I believe in some good in some people - with some mor eoften, with others less often. And i never forget that bwhere there is light, there also tend to be shadow.

I do believe in a general, principle 'good' in all mankind. Of course the shadow is there, but it comes down to matter of personal choice, but sometimes you may not have the choices that you would prefer.
If we all treated each other with genuine kindness & respect at all times then we wouldn't be in the state we're in today.

I think our main problem lies not in our hearts but in our weaknesses. It's not easy to get on in the modern world by being a decent honest person.

Most people just want a peaceful happy life.

[kiwi_2005]

The effects of our kindness are not zero-sum. Those who receive charity have their lives improved, but those who provide it also benefit. It feels good to be good. Indeed, one recent study found that spending money on others is more rewarding than spending it on oneself. It’s not just short-term pleasure: those who donate wealth and time to others tend to be a lot happier in their entire lives than those who do not. The paradoxical finding here is that one great trick to being happy is to forget about being happy and instead try to increase the happiness of others.

So true, i remember i use to do a lot of voluntary work for the community one stunt i did for 9 years every weekend where it got to the point ppl would ask me why do i keep doing it, do you know that in the city ppl get paid for doing what your doing for free. I don't know why i did it, it just made me feel great at the end of the day. I did this work from 1997 to 2005 every weekend. If it feels good to be good then your going to keep at it. I think that's why ppl run off across the other side of the world to help the needy cause it makes them feel great as well. We all chase happiness.

I haven't done any voluntary work since then, maybe i should get back into it.

[Castout]

Originally Posted by kiwi_2005

So true, i remember i use to do a lot of voluntary work for the community one stunt i did for 9 years every weekend where it got to the point ppl would ask me why do i keep doing it, do you know that in the city ppl get paid for doing what your doing for free. I don't know why i did it, it just made me feel great at the end of the day. I did this work from 1997 to 2005 every weekend. If it feels good to be good then your going to keep at it. I think that's why ppl run off across the other side of the world to help the needy cause it makes them feel great as well. We all chase happiness.

I haven't done any voluntary work since then, maybe i should get back into it.

For that 1997-2005

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Skybird

If the other very different from you, maybe you causally trigger to be kicked by him if you do not show him the line in the sand from early on. . Because always being kind also can be a stupid thing in some situations. And when you are acting stupid, the great cosmic banana skin is getting you somehow, sooner or later - you threw it there yourself, then.

But the bad karma would still apply to those who used excessive force on nothing yes?

One person wisdom is another man's foolishness and the other guy's foolishness is another person treasured wisdom.
Knowing the difference is how wisdom is defined.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Castout

But the bad karma would still apply to those who used excessive force on nothing yes?

I don't know, maybe sometimes, maybe on other times not. The tricky thing is that maybe we do not adequately imagine how incredibly complex the balance-finding by "karma-mechaniscs" can be. Because we cannot look far ahead into the future and not deep enough into things as if we could really say the "nothing" you referred to when saying "about nothing", really just is nothing - or if it may unfold a conseqeunce in the future, for better or worse, that our thinking mind cannot even imagine. That'S why it is good advise to always act carefully and with a calm mind and never to deicde in a state of emotional arousal - it makes it easier to not go wrong.

Longer time ago, many years, when I was still full of the typical idealism of an early twenty-years old, I used to check out several buddhist schools beside my own training I got and had gotten. From the starry-eyed people in the audience of lets same some Lama I sometimes, not rarely, heared things like that if you step onto that worm on the ground, you probably will get born yourself as a worm in your next life - stuff like that. Such simplicism simply makes me shaking my head.

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Skybird

I sometimes, not rarely, heared things like that if you step onto that worm on the ground, you probably will get born yourself as a worm in your next life - stuff like that. Such simplicism simply makes me shaking my head.

Ye've got potential ye still have ye head functionin alright maybe it's not too late to save ya. Test test, check check... what's 1 plus 3? 1 plus 2? 1 times 99? . How many fingers ya see? castout to Skybird brain can ya hear me, over?



[jusy pulling yar leg]

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by kiwi_2005

So true, i remember i use to do a lot of voluntary work for the community one stunt i did for 9 years every weekend where it got to the point ppl would ask me why do i keep doing it, do you know that in the city ppl get paid for doing what your doing for free. I don't know why i did it, it just made me feel great at the end of the day. I did this work from 1997 to 2005 every weekend. If it feels good to be good then your going to keep at it. I think that's why ppl run off across the other side of the world to help the needy cause it makes them feel great as well. We all chase happiness.

I haven't done any voluntary work since then, maybe i should get back into it.

"It feels good to feel good".

Well, I am realistic and honest enough about myself to say that that way I only feel when I be good to people that are dear to me. Regarding strangers who may have been the object of my "charity" or helpful deeds, doing them good does not make me feel good, but that it is the feeling of being needed or wanted to carry on is what attracted me when I engaged on unpayed work and engagement. But that was only because the things I then did in any way had a meaning and an interest for me personally. Other, non-idealistic work I never would have done if I would not have gotten payed (and I had many boring, uninteresting jobs, too) - what a surprise!

I also think that it would be a better idea iof especially unemployed people who spend their time with free charity projects maybe would invest their energy for finding a job in case they live on wellfare. Because working for free and not getting money is something that you must be able to afford, and not let the community pay for it, indirectly.