tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9337654546815879412011-09-21T20:18:23.228-07:00The Compassion Blog"Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us."
- Eric HofferAnnalizardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170352583024977602noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-933765454681587941.post-24847836381957321862011-09-21T20:16:00.000-07:002011-09-21T20:18:23.240-07:00Why compassion?This is a deeply personal endeavor, but a universal one as well.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />It is the radicalism of compassion that I want to explore in this blog. Perspectives might include:<br /><br /><ul><li>Psychology</li><li>Evolutionary biology</li><li>Theology</li><li>History</li><li>Human rights</li><li>Social identity</li><li>Interpersonal relationships</li><li>Animal rights</li><li>Feminism</li><li>Anti-racism</li><li>Education</li><li>Personal experiences</li><li>Volunteering</li><li>Political activism</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>I am on the lookout for examples of compassion and explanations of how compassion works in our minds and cultures.</div><div><br /></div><div>Welcome.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/933765454681587941-2484783638195732186?l=thecompassionblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Annalizardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170352583024977602noreply@blogger.com0