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Maybe this is part of the evolution. A kind of decentralisations of the human species in smaller groups. If we would be one big world governed by the same polic

Maybe this is part of the evolution. A kind of decentralisations of the human species in smaller groups. If we would be one big world governed by the same policies we could all die by the same mistake. Not to mention that too much empaty would be highly detrimental to any innovation and even survival. You would never fire someone and would use all the reasources to "help the poor" instead to invest into high risk high reward projects(i.e computers, space exploration). You would die of starvation instead to slaughter the cow because you are too empathic.

wolverine876 4y ago
> Not to mention that too much empaty would be highly detrimental to any innovation and even survival. You would never fire someone and would use all the reasources to "help the poor" instead to invest into high risk high reward projects(i.e computers, space exploration). You would die of starvation instead to slaughter the cow because you are too empathic. This is a fantasy of objectivism, reactionaryism, and the like, a transparent attempt at justification for their selfishness. Empathy makes you care about the people you will feed with the beef, including yourself (empathy starts with yourself) - it doesn't turn you into an idiot, except in the imaginary strawperson fantasies of the aformentioned groups. > "help the poor" Why is that in scare quotes? Also, if you invest in people, many more will eventually invent high-reward things.
- theplumber 4y ago
  >> Empathy makes you care about the people you will feed with the beef, including yourself (empathy starts with yourself) - it doesn't turn you into an idiot, except in the imaginary strawperson fantasies of the aformentioned groups. >> empathy starts with yourself That's not empathy. Empathy starts with the animal/person by your side otherwise you are just a selfish person. If you can eat grass/vegetables and survive why would you kill the poor animal? Help the poor is in quotes because it's a relative term. People who can afford food and shelder could still be considered poor. Poor people in the U.S are rich people in Yemenn. I always wondered, if investment in poor people provides good returns why there is not enough investment? (i.e unsecured loans provided by the private sector)
  - wolverine876 4y ago
    >> empathy starts with yourself > That's not empathy. It is, and people who don't have it are unable to have empathy for others. In theory, perhaps someone could have empathy only or others. In reality, empathy and similar emotions come from the inside out. Metaphorically, it fills you up then overflows. People who do not love themselves, who cannot have empathy for themselves despite their flaws and mistakes, cannot love others. And I am not criticizing those people; they deserve love and empathy. > if investment in poor people provides good returns why there is not enough investment? (i.e unsecured loans provided by the private sector) It's a good investment for the community, for society - education is one well-accepted example. There are charitities that provide unsecured loans (and grants), with high rates of paymet. Look up JustGive and microlending, for example. However, it's (presumably) not a high rate of ROI for the private sector - they don't profit from changing people's lives and making them more productive. There are many things in the world that the free market doesn't serve well.
  - epgui 4y ago
    > if investment in poor people provides good returns why there is not enough investment? (i.e unsecured loans provided by the private sector) If I read this as a rhetorical question, then we are supposing that people always do the most profitable thing. We know this is not the case, because people are very shortsighted: there is no particular reason to think we would not be shortsighted in this matter either. Moreover, there are a lot of examples of things that have great ROI, but that the private sector is ill-equipped or unable to do, for whatever reason. The provision of public education, basic healthcare, infrastructure, are all great examples. These have great ROI in the long term at the population scale, but apart from some niches, are ill-suited to private enterprise.

wolverine876 4y ago

> Not to mention that too much empaty would be highly detrimental to any innovation and even survival. You would never fire someone and would use all the reasources to "help the poor" instead to invest into high risk high reward projects(i.e computers, space exploration). You would die of starvation instead to slaughter the cow because you are too empathic. This is a fantasy of objectivism, reactionaryism, and the like, a transparent attempt at justification for their selfishness. Empathy makes you care about the people you will feed with the beef, including yourself (empathy starts with yourself) - it doesn't turn you into an idiot, except in the imaginary strawperson fantasies of the aformentioned groups. > "help the poor" Why is that in scare quotes? Also, if you invest in people, many more will eventually invent high-reward things.

theplumber 4y ago
>> Empathy makes you care about the people you will feed with the beef, including yourself (empathy starts with yourself) - it doesn't turn you into an idiot, except in the imaginary strawperson fantasies of the aformentioned groups. >> empathy starts with yourself That's not empathy. Empathy starts with the animal/person by your side otherwise you are just a selfish person. If you can eat grass/vegetables and survive why would you kill the poor animal? Help the poor is in quotes because it's a relative term. People who can afford food and shelder could still be considered poor. Poor people in the U.S are rich people in Yemenn. I always wondered, if investment in poor people provides good returns why there is not enough investment? (i.e unsecured loans provided by the private sector)
- wolverine876 4y ago
  >> empathy starts with yourself > That's not empathy. It is, and people who don't have it are unable to have empathy for others. In theory, perhaps someone could have empathy only or others. In reality, empathy and similar emotions come from the inside out. Metaphorically, it fills you up then overflows. People who do not love themselves, who cannot have empathy for themselves despite their flaws and mistakes, cannot love others. And I am not criticizing those people; they deserve love and empathy. > if investment in poor people provides good returns why there is not enough investment? (i.e unsecured loans provided by the private sector) It's a good investment for the community, for society - education is one well-accepted example. There are charitities that provide unsecured loans (and grants), with high rates of paymet. Look up JustGive and microlending, for example. However, it's (presumably) not a high rate of ROI for the private sector - they don't profit from changing people's lives and making them more productive. There are many things in the world that the free market doesn't serve well.
- epgui 4y ago
  > if investment in poor people provides good returns why there is not enough investment? (i.e unsecured loans provided by the private sector) If I read this as a rhetorical question, then we are supposing that people always do the most profitable thing. We know this is not the case, because people are very shortsighted: there is no particular reason to think we would not be shortsighted in this matter either. Moreover, there are a lot of examples of things that have great ROI, but that the private sector is ill-equipped or unable to do, for whatever reason. The provision of public education, basic healthcare, infrastructure, are all great examples. These have great ROI in the long term at the population scale, but apart from some niches, are ill-suited to private enterprise.