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If the caste system teaches people to become desensitized to the suffering of those around them why do the same people go en-masse to rescue the so called "othe

If the caste system teaches people to become desensitized to the suffering of those around them why do the same people go en-masse to rescue the so called "others" when a natural tragedy or terror strike takes place in India? Do they suddenly forget the "teachings" of the so called "caste system"? Or are they conveniently becoming desensitized when only a person/family meets with an accident? Don't you see how ridiculous your statement sounds now?

curun1r 10y ago
Your continued defense of the caste system is entirely missing the point. This isn't and Indian thing, it's a human thing. It's a prerequisite for allowing suffering to take place without feeling the need to help and owes to our tribal nature. Look at any genocide or mass murder in human history and you'll find the targeted group was an "other" that those perpetrating the slaughter were made to feel was fundamentally different from them. Or look at it in reverse...have you ever traveled to a far off place and met someone who was from, say, your home state/province? Back at home, you'd feel very little connection with them since the live in a different city from you and you're surrounded by people in your city whom you feel closer to. But meet that same person half-way around the world and suddenly you feel closer to them. They're now more part of your tribe than those around you. We're tribal animals, by nature, and our capacity to help and tolerate the suffering of those we consider to be in our tribe is significantly different from those outside our tribe. If aliens invaded, you'd see almost all racism and human conflict disappear almost overnight. We'd become a human tribe struggling against an alien "other". But absent that, we'll continue to subconsciously divide ourselves along tribal boundaries. In your rabid defense of India from what you perceive is an attack on one of its customs, you're perceiving me to be an "other" to the Indian tribe. This is well established human psychology. My point was that the caste system is divisive, by it's very nature and purpose. According to our understanding of the human capacity for experiencing the suffering of others, anything that divides us in any capacity can only increase the kind of unfeeling behavior described in the article. And you need look no farther than India to see the exact opposite type of force. How many devout Buddhists would stand by idly as someone in a car crash lay dying? The Buddha realized (warning: ridiculous oversimplification approaching) that our sense of self is an illusion and we're all one...there is no "other." When viewed through that lens, what is the hassle of being dragged into and administrative mess or needing to pay for hospital care when compared to the suffering of a dying person? A Buddhist would jump in to help without even the slightest regard for the consequences that would result.

curun1r 10y ago

Your continued defense of the caste system is entirely missing the point. This isn't and Indian thing, it's a human thing. It's a prerequisite for allowing suffering to take place without feeling the need to help and owes to our tribal nature. Look at any genocide or mass murder in human history and you'll find the targeted group was an "other" that those perpetrating the slaughter were made to feel was fundamentally different from them. Or look at it in reverse...have you ever traveled to a far off place and met someone who was from, say, your home state/province? Back at home, you'd feel very little connection with them since the live in a different city from you and you're surrounded by people in your city whom you feel closer to. But meet that same person half-way around the world and suddenly you feel closer to them. They're now more part of your tribe than those around you. We're tribal animals, by nature, and our capacity to help and tolerate the suffering of those we consider to be in our tribe is significantly different from those outside our tribe. If aliens invaded, you'd see almost all racism and human conflict disappear almost overnight. We'd become a human tribe struggling against an alien "other". But absent that, we'll continue to subconsciously divide ourselves along tribal boundaries. In your rabid defense of India from what you perceive is an attack on one of its customs, you're perceiving me to be an "other" to the Indian tribe. This is well established human psychology. My point was that the caste system is divisive, by it's very nature and purpose. According to our understanding of the human capacity for experiencing the suffering of others, anything that divides us in any capacity can only increase the kind of unfeeling behavior described in the article. And you need look no farther than India to see the exact opposite type of force. How many devout Buddhists would stand by idly as someone in a car crash lay dying? The Buddha realized (warning: ridiculous oversimplification approaching) that our sense of self is an illusion and we're all one...there is no "other." When viewed through that lens, what is the hassle of being dragged into and administrative mess or needing to pay for hospital care when compared to the suffering of a dying person? A Buddhist would jump in to help without even the slightest regard for the consequences that would result.