Poll: Oh the HUMANITY!!!!

[grimsprice]

OK. First of all, i realize there have been a few morality threads and whatnot, But nothing that addresses this exact issue.

There have been quite a few political threads recently. And depending on what the original topic is, and how long the thread lasts, they all eventually boil down to one discussion. How humane are humans? Now of course one of the great arguments coming from Akai is that people can learn Altruism. Somehow rehabilitating those 'born to want' can make them into charitable world citizens. I tend to disagree, but thats just me.

So. I would like to know what, as a whole, the Escapist community thinks the limitations of humanity are.

1: How altruistic are you?
2: How altruistic is humanity as a whole?
3: Can people be 'taught' compassion? Would some sort of conditioning or rehab work?

EDIT: please answer #3 if you have an opinion. Its really the important question in this thread.

 

[sneakypenguin]

Well i'm compassionate if something is not your fault. IE if you lost your job cause of cancer. I would gladly help. If you don't have a job cause you went on a crack binge well tough luck buddy.

Kinda along those lines.

3. nope

 

[GodofMadness]

mhhh, the perfect plan would be round up people into happy fun work camps.
#hey get 3 meals, a place to sleep, but they have to do community service style stuff. And than we would have the extra money to help war vets and old people, as well as people really in need of help and not just lazy.

 

[Souplex]

My local hobos have solid gold top hats thanks to me.

 

[TheBluesader]

I'm naturally nice to an embarrassing fault, so I make myself be apathetic simply so I don't make a fool of myself being way too nice.

Yeah, it's a little sociopathic, but it beats getting stalked again. Again.

My local hobos have solid gold top hats thanks to me.

We thank you, Saint Souplex. Though some food would've been nicer...

 

[grimsprice]

Well i'm compassionate if something is not your fault. IE if you lost your job cause of cancer. I would gladly help. If you don't have a job cause you went on a crack binge well tough luck buddy.

Kinda along those lines.

3. nope

Yeah, i pretty much knew how the poll was going to go but the meat of this thread is really just #3.

There is no way that people can be taught to be compassionate, hell 99% of the successful _____'s anonymous people went their themselves. Trying to rehab someone against their will is impossible, and usually makes them worse at whatever you're trying, just from shear spite.

 

[Berethond]

1. Not
2. It isn't.
3. Nope.

 

[Panzer_God]

You can't be taught to care about people. It tends to work the other way round. A few years ago I would have described myself as altruistic to a fault, now I'm a cold, heartless misanthrope with little to no respect for the human ability to share or comprimise.

 

[Emphraim]

I'm not altruistic at all. Humanity also isn't altruistic, survival of the fittest is clearly seen throughout history. People can be taught compassion by being shown compassion. Frankly, I see little compassion in the world.

 

[grimsprice]

You can't be taught to care about people. It tends to work the other way round. A few years ago I would have described myself as altruistic to a fault, now I'm a cold, heartless misanthrope with little to no respect for the human ability to share or comprimise.

What facilitated the change? Just getting older or where there actual events?

Its been said, "anyone under the age of 30 who isn't socialist is heartless, anyone over the age of 30 who still is socialist, is an idiot."

 

[Headless Zombie]

1. Quite, not sure I would eat radioactive shit though.
2. Most would have me believe it isn't at all, but I have my hopes.
3. From what I have seen children tend to be more compassionate then the average adult. But it's still possible, just not as easy as staying compassionate.

If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a bit idealistic.

 

[Aqualung]

Compassion shouldn't be the issue when dealing with giving or donating to charities and whatnot. People try to be selfless, and that's good- but you need to put yourself ahead first. You work hard for your job, your lifestyle, your relationships, so maintain those and give a little gradually when you can.

1: How altruistic are you?
-I work on a win-win basis. I work at a soup kitchen, but I also do it for my high school graduation community service hours. I donate clothes, but after I get my new ones. Win-win.
2: How altruistic is humanity as a whole?
-How can I judge? I don't know all of humanity. I'd say our thoughts and intentions are on the right track, but they don't always make their way into actions.
3: Can people be 'taught' compassion? Would some sort of conditioning or rehab work?
-For douchebags who do nothing but add douchebaggery to the world, sure. But I doubt it would have a sizeable impact on people who have nothing to care for.

 

[Panzer_God]

You can't be taught to care about people. It tends to work the other way round. A few years ago I would have described myself as altruistic to a fault, now I'm a cold, heartless misanthrope with little to no respect for the human ability to share or comprimise.

What facilitated the change? Just getting older or where there actual events?

Its been said, "anyone under the age of 30 who isn't socialist is heartless, anyone over the age of 30 who still is socialist, is an idiot."

I heard it as "If you're under 30 and not a liberal you have no heart, if you're over fifty and not a conservative you have no brain." For me there were a few actual events but a lot of it was actually just getting older.

 

[grimsprice]

You can't be taught to care about people. It tends to work the other way round. A few years ago I would have described myself as altruistic to a fault, now I'm a cold, heartless misanthrope with little to no respect for the human ability to share or comprimise.

What facilitated the change? Just getting older or where there actual events?

Its been said, "anyone under the age of 30 who isn't socialist is heartless, anyone over the age of 30 who still is socialist, is an idiot."

I heard it as "If you're under 30 and not a liberal you have no heart, if you're over fifty and not a conservative you have no brain." For me there were a few actual events but a lot of it was actually just getting older.

Yeah, same thing i think. Point being that as you get older you figure out what humans are really like. The comedian was right, humans are savage in nature, no matter how much we try an dress it up.

 

[Panzer_God]

You can't be taught to care about people. It tends to work the other way round. A few years ago I would have described myself as altruistic to a fault, now I'm a cold, heartless misanthrope with little to no respect for the human ability to share or comprimise.

What facilitated the change? Just getting older or where there actual events?

Its been said, "anyone under the age of 30 who isn't socialist is heartless, anyone over the age of 30 who still is socialist, is an idiot."

I heard it as "If you're under 30 and not a liberal you have no heart, if you're over fifty and not a conservative you have no brain." For me there were a few actual events but a lot of it was actually just getting older.

Yeah, same thing i think. Point being that as you get older you figure out what humans are really like. The comedian was right, humans are savage in nature, no matter how much we try an dress it up.

I was more thinking the Joker, although he and the Comedian were like the exact same outlook on people.

 

[Kilaknux]

Sufferer of Chronic Hero Syndrome. I can't friggin' stop myself if someone needs help.

 

[LockHeart]

1. Not overly, I'll be 'altruistic' if there's something in it for me, just like most people will.

2. See above.

3. I don't think you can teach someone to be compassionate without some form of conditioning, and if you have to condition them, how much of it couints as 'teaching' and how much counts as outright brainwashing or coercion?

 

[Panzer_God]

Sufferer of Chronic Hero Syndrome. I can't friggin' stop myself if someone needs help.

My CHS will only come out in episodes where overwhelming force is required. I'll help people out as long as my job involves beating the living crap out of someone.

 

[KarumaK]

1. If I'm bored and someone's lucky I'll help them.

2. Humanity is not all that altruistic, if I had to attach a meaningless number to it I'd say about 5%. And the other 95% is busy calling them treehuggers.

3. People can easily be taught compassion. I was taught compassion at a very young age, it never made sense and I hated it. Probably why I'm not altruistic.

I'm looking out for me and mine, and I'll step on anyone in the way.

 

[bodyklok]

I try to be helpful, at lest when it's beneficial to me. Which it normally is, in some way or another.

People can normally achieve more when we work together after all.