In defense of empathy

Writing about all this, I fear I might come off as being a purist, someone who believes that there is only one way to approach life. I do like to put things on the edge, to state things categorically, but how else can you make a point?

I do believe that everything is on a scale. There are very few things in life that are completely black or white, on or off. No one is completely pure or completely evil, there is nuance to everything, it is what makes life interesting and it is important to keep this in mind. Acting selfishly, being narcissistic, seeking wealth & happiness is not necessarily bad. In fact, it is essential to be human, to survive. If you only care about the welfare of others, you’ll soon burn out. Trust me, I know. My mother tried it and ended up drinking herself to death. She did more good in the world than most, but maybe there is a way to do good, without burning up?

Not really sure how to express this, but I think it is important for any discussions of an alternative future to take all aspects of human nature into account. It is easy to say that people should just act in a responsible, empathetic manner, but we contain multitudes. Sometimes we are assholes and that is okay, as long as we try not to hurt others, try not to destroy & break consent.

I do believe that we can minimize greed & egotistical behavior by ensuring that all humans have a way to get their needs met. Another way to limit these antisocial tendencies, is to ensure that whatever system we create is relatively fair. Personally I do not care about fairness. If you have more than me, good for you. I just want to do my work. However, I know that this is not the general perception and so any system should account for that, without resorting to millimeter-democracy (as it called in Danish). I think that as long as no one feels taken advantage of, we can create good & supportive communities.

Another thing I would like to emphasize is the need to know yourself. In order to help a new system to emerge, you need to know what you need and what you are willing to accept. To be true to yourself. I remember as a child, visiting my mom in one the many collectives she lived in, and being perplexed at the cognitive dissonance of these hippies. The men would sit in the living room, drinking beer, talking about women’s liberation, while the women would be in the kitchen, doing the work. It is no wonder the hippies became the boomers.

Anyway, know yourself, know what you need, know what you are willing to accept. Then, find those that you can work with, your affinity group. Then change the world, no big deal.