Abstracting Compassion

December 5th, 2010
ea
Passing a panhandler on the street, I feel a wave of compassion. I want to help them, I tell myself not to, and then walking by I feel guilty. My inner push to help the people around me doesn't understand the logic that leads me to give instead to international development, helping people far away. It doesn't understand that however much I can give, I must allocate it to do the most good. The impulse to help just knows: there's someone in front of me that could use some money, and I have more money than I need. How do I learn how to abstract compassion away from individuals who happen to live near me and towards the people who need help most?

Comment via: facebook

Recent posts on blogs I like:

Book Review: The Myth of Sex Addiction

I. David Ley’s The Myth of Sex Addiction is a stupid, wrong book saved only by the fact that the people it’s arguing with are stupider and wronger. II. “Sex addiction” is a proposed mental health condition, not recognized by the DSM or the ICD, where a pe…

via Thing of Things March 7, 2024

Your wedding doesn’t have to be that great

Your future happiness does not depend on how gorgeous this one day is. The post Your wedding doesn’t have to be that great appeared first on Otherwise.

via Otherwise March 4, 2024

When Nurses Lie to You

When the nurse comes to give you the flu shot, they say it won't hurt at all, right? And you trust them. Then they give you the shot, and it hurts! They lied to you. A lot of nurses lie to children about shots and blood draws. Part of it is they probabl…

via Lily Wise's Blog Posts February 28, 2024

more     (via openring)