Yes, Diana, we must focus on what we share as human beings and learn to value and learn from our differences. Life would be intolerably boring and stifling if we were all the same.
"When relationships with others come first, they lay the foundation for exploring our differences in a respectful way."
Well said. I know I need to work on developing better relationships with others. It's difficult after being taught that everyone in a capitalist society is an "island" and has to make it on their own. That's where the lack of empathy comes from--the competition to get things first before others can get them instead of building community and sharing.
That's probably the struggle of most of us, and thanks so much for naming it. I hope we can get to a place of solidarity, enough so that we can get to the kind of world we want and need, where empathy comes naturally since our material needs will be met as well as our needs for basic respect and dignity.
"I can’t help but see the beauty, vulnerability and value in all living beings I come in contact with. OK, maybe not mosquitos, but spiders, snakes, wild turkeys, and people I don’t have much in common with capture my interest and goodwill. "
Hearing of your ability to see this connection with life ... gives me hope on a day I could use some. It makes me feel that I am not alone in the feeling of life itself. Thank you for this post.
I'm so glad my post helped you feel better. It just came to me this morning. It's hard not to feel pretty vulnerable these days. I've been feeling this way too.
Just mentally exhausted. Fighting the government. Got good work done .... but it exhausted my head. I needed to hear some positive. And you nailed what I needed. Thanks D
Thanks for these well expressed ideas, Diana. I struggle with the idea of connection when I see injustice, exploitation, coercion and violence inflicted on the weak. How do I connect with the oppressor when the moral imperative is to protect, which may mean meeting fire with fire. When I see ICE agents violently abusing immigrants and racialized people, every bone in my body wants Americans to fight back however they can, to stop this rising fascism. It's visceral. But at that point any common human connection is lost.
I hear you, and I don't live in the USA so don't have to deal with ICE. Admittedly, a lot of the people around me are activists, and certainly not oppressive.
I don't know what we do about fascism. My understanding is that fascism comes about during lengthy periods of austerity, like what we're experiencing now, and that those who benefit from our struggles encourage fascism to put the blame on minorities and take the focus away from the system that exploits them. It's so ugly, and that anger is being directed down and sideways instead of up.
Mo, your comments could well be a post. I may have expressed the sentiment, but you're doing an amazing job of exploring it further, and in a way that I think people can hear and understand.
I hope you turn it into a piece of writing. They're very eloquent and express the 'how' so well.
Yes, Diana, we must focus on what we share as human beings and learn to value and learn from our differences. Life would be intolerably boring and stifling if we were all the same.
Wouldn't it though, eh, Diane? Although sometimes life gets just a little too interesting.
"When relationships with others come first, they lay the foundation for exploring our differences in a respectful way."
Well said. I know I need to work on developing better relationships with others. It's difficult after being taught that everyone in a capitalist society is an "island" and has to make it on their own. That's where the lack of empathy comes from--the competition to get things first before others can get them instead of building community and sharing.
That's probably the struggle of most of us, and thanks so much for naming it. I hope we can get to a place of solidarity, enough so that we can get to the kind of world we want and need, where empathy comes naturally since our material needs will be met as well as our needs for basic respect and dignity.
"I can’t help but see the beauty, vulnerability and value in all living beings I come in contact with. OK, maybe not mosquitos, but spiders, snakes, wild turkeys, and people I don’t have much in common with capture my interest and goodwill. "
Hearing of your ability to see this connection with life ... gives me hope on a day I could use some. It makes me feel that I am not alone in the feeling of life itself. Thank you for this post.
I'm so glad my post helped you feel better. It just came to me this morning. It's hard not to feel pretty vulnerable these days. I've been feeling this way too.
Just mentally exhausted. Fighting the government. Got good work done .... but it exhausted my head. I needed to hear some positive. And you nailed what I needed. Thanks D
Hey, thanks for all you do. It sounds like good work. Take care.
yep. yep. yep.
Thanks for these well expressed ideas, Diana. I struggle with the idea of connection when I see injustice, exploitation, coercion and violence inflicted on the weak. How do I connect with the oppressor when the moral imperative is to protect, which may mean meeting fire with fire. When I see ICE agents violently abusing immigrants and racialized people, every bone in my body wants Americans to fight back however they can, to stop this rising fascism. It's visceral. But at that point any common human connection is lost.
I hear you, and I don't live in the USA so don't have to deal with ICE. Admittedly, a lot of the people around me are activists, and certainly not oppressive.
I don't know what we do about fascism. My understanding is that fascism comes about during lengthy periods of austerity, like what we're experiencing now, and that those who benefit from our struggles encourage fascism to put the blame on minorities and take the focus away from the system that exploits them. It's so ugly, and that anger is being directed down and sideways instead of up.
Mosquitos feed bats. Sorry! That's all Ive got.
I appreciate that, Claire. My point was that I swat them when they land on my skin. I'm glad they feed bats.
Not judging. I swat them too. I love bats but not enough to feed mosquitoes!
Well said Diane, its all about relationships 💓
Thanks, Susan. It feels that way to me. 💖
The Devil IsRael. The Antichrist.
Hey, thanks, Mo.
I'm a true believer that united we stand, divided we fall, but we don't often talk about howe we do this.
Mo, your comments could well be a post. I may have expressed the sentiment, but you're doing an amazing job of exploring it further, and in a way that I think people can hear and understand.
I hope you turn it into a piece of writing. They're very eloquent and express the 'how' so well.