Is Compassion Overrated?

[Japanrocks12]

I'm just asking because I've been getting the feeling that whenever I or someone else in my life performs acts of compassion, scrutiny is upon them to determine if the compassion is genuine or not. I've come to disagree with this approach. ANY act of compassion, whether it was for some ulterior motive or not should be appreciated at its moment. I've come to see a person's compassion for another as one of the most beautiful things in life. Others seem not to agree with me and oftentimes their scrutiny destroys the fluffy feeling of compassion from the inside out. What do you think? Have you ever paused and thought that a compassionate act is beautiful no matter what? or do you think that compassion is getting increasingly overrated?

 

[drachasor]

Compassion is underrated by many. It is seen as so lowly a motivation, that almost no one could possibly do something just for compassionate reasons (unless one was saint-like). Certainly there's a problem with society trying to get people to recognize compassion as a good and valuable thing.

-Drachasor

 

[Rambuchan]

In today's cynical world, compassion is indeed underrated. A selfless act is a beautiful thing and touches on what makes us human. And if you really want to support compassion without sounding like a modern day fluffy idiot, bear in mind that humans have an instinctive sense for reciprocation.

 

[Brighteye]

People don't want to be the targets of compassion any more. They feel patronised.

 

[Rambuchan]

Speak for yourself. I'd say you're deeply out of touch with the common man.

 

[Tee Kay]

If anything, compassion is underrated.

 

[Brighteye]

Speak for yourself. I'd say you're deeply out of touch with the common man.

I'm not talking about the common man. I'm talking about the people to whom I have shown compassion.
People don't like being pitied. They seem to find that it makes them feel inferior.

 

[Kozmos]

Yes, horribly. My compassion amounts to taking drunk people home because the possible outcomes of not doing so could be dire. Otherwise everyone should take care of themselves and their close circle of loved ones.

 

[rkade8583]

Is it overrated? no. Is it unappreciated by too many people in the world? Oh god, yes. Do I still do it? Of course. God forbid anyone decide to do the dumb crap I did when I was young.

 

[Rambuchan]

I'm not talking about the common man. I'm talking about the people to whom I have shown compassion.
People don't like being pitied. They seem to find that it makes them feel inferior.

Compassionate gestures are not simply an expression of pity. They can be an expression of empathy, solidarity, or even out of a sense of moral duty/citizenship, all of which are not quite the same thing as pity.

 

[Brighteye]

No-one else believes in moral duty as an excuse, and they don't believe in empathy from me in particular.
I don't know why, but that only leaves pity.
OED:
2. The feeling or emotion when a person is moved by the suffering or distress of another, and by the desire to relieve it; pity that inclines one to spare or to succour.
to have compassion: to have pity, take pity.

 

[Rambuchan]

No-one else believes in moral duty as an excuse, and they don't believe in empathy from me in particular.
I don't know why, but that only leaves pity.

If they don't believe you, then maybe there's a problem with the....presentation?

And what do you mean by "excuse"? Excuse for being kind and helpful? I don't quite follow why one needs an excuse.

OED:
2. The feeling or emotion when a person is moved by the suffering or distress of another, and by the desire to relieve it; pity that inclines one to spare or to succour.
to have compassion: to have pity, take pity.

Yes, but, as I said already, it's not simply about pity. It can be about more than just this limited definition.

 

[Brighteye]

If they don't believe you, then maybe there's a problem with the....presentation?

And what do you mean by "excuse"? Excuse for being kind and helpful? I don't quite follow why one needs an excuse.

Excuse for making them feel bad. A lot of people have rather hazy moral ideas and don't understand the concept of acting on a moral impulse alone: they seem to believe that there must always be some emotional or instinctive impulse underlying it. In fact, many people almost equate the two, and assume that morals can be derived from instinct.

I see no problem with presentation. I rarely do anything that could be offensive. Usually (when I act compassionately) I'll just act compassionately without 'presenting' it at all.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

calling compassion overrated is overrated

 

[odintheking]

Most people don't appreciate compassion. That's no reason to stop being compassionate.

 

[azzaman333]

Most people don't appreciate compassion. That's no reason to stop being compassionate.

There is no reason to be compassionate IMO.

 

[odintheking]

There is no reason to be compassionate IMO.

My point exactly,

 

[dh_epic]

I think it's more complicated than overrated/underrated. If compassion means charity, it's overrated. If compassion means caring about other people, it's underrated. Rational self-interest is important, but a lot of opportunity is actually shared (at the family level, at the city level, at the national level) in the long run.

 

[Phlegmak]

Is Compassion Overrated?

No. .

 

[Masquerouge]

The issue is that compassion nowadays will likely get you a lawsuit for sexual harassment/pedophilia.