4 ms·

I can tell you why: My capacity to give damns is finite. If you happen to be some saint who has infinite capacity for empathy, good for you. I think most peop

I can tell you why: My capacity to give damns is finite. If you happen to be some saint who has infinite capacity for empathy, good for you. I think most people share my sentiment, though.

Aeolun 2y ago
It’s not that I don’t care. It’s just that my ability and will to do anything more than care is lacking. Presumably if I cared enough I’d donate to some charity, but I feel fixing this kind of stuff is why we have governments with humanitarian aid programmes (which I happily pay for through taxes), which should theoretically be a thousand times more effective.
- acdha 2y ago
  It’s also worth noting that many times we simply cannot do anything about it. Gaza does not have a food shortage because there are huge amounts of aid ready to be distributed, it’s because there’s a hot war and the Israeli government strictly controls access. Someone like Jeff Bezos could give the Red Cross a billion dollars and it wouldn’t matter unless that came with something only governments can arrange like a cease fire or military escort.
- Dalewyn 2y ago
  I reiterate that I can't care because my capacity to do so is limited: * First priority is caring for myself. I can't care for anyone if I don't. * Next is immediate family. * Then it's my closest friends. * Followed by my other friends and extended/distant family. * After that are my professional connections: Co-workers, bosses, subordinates, clients, suppliers, and so on. They are who I derive a living from. * Now I get to strangers I happen to meet during my life. This is actually an important group as, indeed, most if not all friendships, professional connections, and even family originate here. * Finally, after all that, I can maybe care about strangers I have not met and will never meet during my life. I'm sorry, my damns ran dry somewhere in "strangers in my life" before I got through them and I think that's actually being generous. I don't have any left for someone on the other god damn side of the world who is literally meaningless to me.
squidbeak 2y ago
If you have a finite capacity for empathy, it probably isn't empathy you're measuring.

I can tell you why: My capacity to give damns is finite. If you happen to be some saint who has infinite capacity for empathy, good for you. I think most people share my sentiment, though.

Aeolun 2y ago

It’s not that I don’t care. It’s just that my ability and will to do anything more than care is lacking. Presumably if I cared enough I’d donate to some charity, but I feel fixing this kind of stuff is why we have governments with humanitarian aid programmes (which I happily pay for through taxes), which should theoretically be a thousand times more effective.

acdha 2y ago
It’s also worth noting that many times we simply cannot do anything about it. Gaza does not have a food shortage because there are huge amounts of aid ready to be distributed, it’s because there’s a hot war and the Israeli government strictly controls access. Someone like Jeff Bezos could give the Red Cross a billion dollars and it wouldn’t matter unless that came with something only governments can arrange like a cease fire or military escort.
Dalewyn 2y ago
I reiterate that I can't care because my capacity to do so is limited: * First priority is caring for myself. I can't care for anyone if I don't. * Next is immediate family. * Then it's my closest friends. * Followed by my other friends and extended/distant family. * After that are my professional connections: Co-workers, bosses, subordinates, clients, suppliers, and so on. They are who I derive a living from. * Now I get to strangers I happen to meet during my life. This is actually an important group as, indeed, most if not all friendships, professional connections, and even family originate here. * Finally, after all that, I can maybe care about strangers I have not met and will never meet during my life. I'm sorry, my damns ran dry somewhere in "strangers in my life" before I got through them and I think that's actually being generous. I don't have any left for someone on the other god damn side of the world who is literally meaningless to me.

squidbeak 2y ago

If you have a finite capacity for empathy, it probably isn't empathy you're measuring.