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All humans need and deserve empathy: healthy/unhealthy, good/evil, innocent/criminal. In particular, empathy often provides psychological healing, although it
by georgeorwell 14y ago
All humans need and deserve empathy: healthy/unhealthy, good/evil, innocent/criminal. In particular, empathy often provides psychological healing, although it won't do him much good personally unless it reaches him.
- illuminate 14y agoI believe he should be treated humanely, though I do not know why empathy is required to do so.
- georgeorwell 14y agoFrom my perspective, it's because as a fellow human I can imagine his thoughts and feelings and in turn care about them that I believe he should be treated humanely. That imagining (and caring) is empathy. Where does your belief in humane treatment come from?
- illuminate 14y agoI suppose I set that as the baseline without needing to specify an appeal to innate humanity, so I agree.
- bluedanieru 14y agoIt might be what enables you to treat the subject humanely in the first place. It seems it would certainly make it easier, at least. Advocating empathy isn't the same as being soft on crime. It's perfectly possible to punish for crimes, even with death, and still display empathy and compassion.