When I first left home to attend college at the University of Texas, my path was the exact opposite of the expected. Previously a progressive, empathetic teenager, I became angry and closed. I decided that there was a limited amount of care I could give to the world. Instead of seeking out new experiences, I chose those that validated my comfortable existence. I studied. I got good grades, and eventually a job. I determined that I could care about education primarily, and everything else only as a tangent.
In short, I made the gross error that there was a limited amount of compassion available in my heart, and I would spend it frugally. Children elicited this compassion, as did stories of racist tragedies, and homeless puppies. But for the most part, when I came upon a situation that required empathy above all, I resisted and turned instead to judgment.
It has become clear to me in recent days that this is deeply flawed reasoning. One cannot judge what one does not love, not without risking a tragic mistake.
It is the radicalism of compassion that I want to explore in this blog. Perspectives might include:
- Psychology
- Evolutionary biology
- Theology
- History
- Human rights
- Social identity
- Interpersonal relationships
- Animal rights
- Feminism
- Anti-racism
- Education
- Personal experiences
- Volunteering
- Political activism
I am on the lookout for examples of compassion and explanations of how compassion works in our minds and cultures.
Welcome.
