In the last couple of days I’ve written about heroism and how I see its qualities in everyday lives. Being a blog, there’s a superficiality to such an examination, as there is to anything written off the cuff. I’m never sure if I’m fully getting across my point .
I think the main thing I want to say is that we are living in a time where some of the basic qualities of the hero, compassion and empathy, have come to be seen as weakness. We live in a culture that has over the last thirty or so years come to think of greed and self-interest as signs of strength.
Until we can restore compassion and empathy to their rightful position as the hallmarks of the strong and courageous, we will continue to linger knee-deep in the cesspool created by our allegiance to greed and our refusal in taking personal responsibility for for our actions.
That is the gist of what I’ve wanted to say. I’m sorry it’s rhetorical and painted with a broad brush but I think this is a basic philosophical problem and needs to be addressed at the broad brush level, starting from the bottom up, with people taking responsibility for the world immediately around them, living each day with their eyes open. Living with charity and empathy for others.
I know it sounds simplistic, even naive. That is just another product of being immersed in a “get mine” world. Without empathy, everything that challenges your worldview must be belittled or destroyed.
And that’s where we appear to be…
So. let’s try to see the strength and courage in living an empathetic life. Okay?
If you can agree to do that I promise to not preach tomorrow…
Redtree Times 