[quote=njtosd][quote=CA renter]
We should not conflate the desire to “do the right thing” with empathy.
[/quote]
CA Renter – people wouldn’t consider it “right” if they didn’t have empathy. As I have mentioned earlier, I am on the fence politically. There are conservatives who are like you who find self interest in kind acts performed by liberals. What I can’t understand is the belief, on both sides, that the other side is basically wrong (along with a bunch of other bad qualities). It’s similar to the battle of the sexes I’ve seen played out in other threads. We’re all a lot more alike than most are willing to believe – note the statistic in the article that showed that when religious donations were removed, the two parties contributed equally (I don’t think that applied to blood and volunteer hours). I think a lot of people take pride in not being (a) as closed-minded/intolerant/uncaring as the conservatives or (b) as irresponsible/unmotivated/immoral as the liberals. I think a lot of people need to demonize the other side in order to feel superior. I tend to think bad people (and good people) come in all genders, political affiliations, nationalities and yes, Brian, sizes (among other characteristics).[/quote]
We disagree on the desire to “do the right thing” being closely associated with empathy. Empathy might be involved, but in no way is it necessary. I’ve known very good people who always strive to do the right thing, but they have no empathy for those they do not approve of, nor do they have the desire to feel empathetic for these people; their definition of those deserving of empathy can be quite narrow, as well.
And I’m not saying that one group is right or wrong, or good or bad — not making a moral judgment here. It’s just that I’ve noticed these differences between those who tend to be conservative vs. liberal. Not everyone will fit these stereotypes, but I think we’re talking more about the general rule than the exceptions. (Same thing goes for the arguments regarding the gender-based division of labor and the resulting power/wealth gap, and how society reflects those values.)
