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MarkostheGnostic
Elder



Registered: 12/09/99
Posts: 14,279
Loc: South Florida
Last seen: 3 years, 27 days
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: Ellis Dee] 1
#19460456 - 01/22/14 11:56 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Pity may be a dictionary synonym for compassion, but I learned the subtle but profound difference from Ram Dass in the intro to BE HERE NOW 40 years ago. When Ram Dass got terrible diarrhea in India, Bhagwan Das said, "Well fast for a few days," to which Ram Dass replied, "Very compassionate, but no pity." I got that and still get that. Compassion is pretty much equivalent to the Greek biblical word for love, namely agapé. Agapé is a disinterested, emotionally uninvolved, but profoundly deep sense of caring. Pity, on the other hand, is a much more visceral 'my heart goes out to you' kind of emotion. It has distance from involvement, but often from aversion to involvement. In Buddhism, 'Compassion in Action' is the upaya, the methodology for attaining wisdom. Pity is not. Compassion embodies insight, which is wisdom, and simultaneously it embodies the detachment necessary to act decisively to alleviate suffering, even if it means cutting off a limb to save a life (figuratively or actually). The psychological term that is critical in compassion is empathy. Empathy is deeper than sympathy inasmuch as in empathy one feels as deeply for the 'other' as one feels for oneself. When you are suffering, you do not hesitate to act to alleviate it. Sympathy entails some resonance with another's suffering, but not to the extent of empathy and there is a wide margin for non-action. A joyous life as a human being is impossible without these qualities. Anything else is shallow and merely hedonistic, not "joyful." Joy is another matter altogether. It differs from happiness (I realized this decades before Eckhart Tolle wrote about it in The Power of Now) in that happiness depends upon external circumstances, while joy is a quality of Being itself.
-------------------- γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: MarkostheGnostic] 3
#19460526 - 01/23/14 12:14 AM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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One of my favorite poet lyricists, Saul Williams, had some verse that go like:
Happiness is a mediocre sin set for a middle class existence
I see through smiles and smell truth in the distance Beyond one dimensional smiles and laughter Lies are hereafter where tears echo laughter You'd have to do math to divide a smile By a tear times fear equals mere truth I simply delve in the air and if that's the case All I have to breath and all else will follow And that's why drums are hallow
you might enjoy this:
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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MarkostheGnostic
Elder



Registered: 12/09/99
Posts: 14,279
Loc: South Florida
Last seen: 3 years, 27 days
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: CosmicJoke]
#19463386 - 01/23/14 04:25 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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You're right. Consider him appreciated. Nice stream of consciousness! I think I post that on FB. Maybe my virtual homies (besides yourself) will appreciate it also.
-------------------- γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
Edited by MarkostheGnostic (01/26/14 10:59 PM)
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HeartAndMind


Registered: 01/09/10
Posts: 1,410
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: CosmicJoke]
#19467602 - 01/24/14 01:16 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
CosmicJoke said: One of my favorite poet lyricists, Saul Williams, had some verse that go like:
Happiness is a mediocre sin set for a middle class existence
I see through smiles and smell truth in the distance Beyond one dimensional smiles and laughter Lies are hereafter where tears echo laughter You'd have to do math to divide a smile By a tear times fear equals mere truth I simply delve in the air and if that's the case All I have to breath and all else will follow And that's why drums are hallow
you might enjoy this:
I really like this! Didn't know about Slam poetry before.
Here's another great performance by him which I just found:
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: HeartAndMind]
#19467931 - 01/24/14 02:21 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
HeartAndMind said:
Quote:
CosmicJoke said: One of my favorite poet lyricists, Saul Williams, had some verse that go like:
Happiness is a mediocre sin set for a middle class existence
I see through smiles and smell truth in the distance Beyond one dimensional smiles and laughter Lies are hereafter where tears echo laughter You'd have to do math to divide a smile By a tear times fear equals mere truth I simply delve in the air and if that's the case All I have to breath and all else will follow And that's why drums are hallow
you might enjoy this:
I really like this! Didn't know about Slam poetry before.
Here's another great performance by him which I just found:
That was actually from an indie film, called Slam, which is a play on words as he plays a young 'slam' poet who got busted with a QP of marijuana and faced with an unbelievably heavy sentence and the 'slam'mer. It was good, enjoyed it, check it out sometime. Outside of poetry, he also played a role in the film K-Pax as a hypochondriac in the mental ward, and has made several albums, Amethys Rock Star was probably my favorite.
As for poetry slams, check out Def Poetry Jam on HBO, endless good stuff, and they actually did some incredible stuff with youth poetry slam, Brave New Voices I believe it was called, the first season had some incredible kids.
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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Ara16w
An Acquaintance


Registered: 06/21/11
Posts: 353
Last seen: 4 years, 5 months
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: CosmicJoke]
#19469459 - 01/24/14 08:41 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Here's some DBZ philosophy regarding compassion in the context of when it's ineffective to be compassionate:
That, plus hundreds of other non-typical philosophical views make DBZ hard to top.
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g00ru
lit pants tit licker



Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 21,088
Loc: georgia, us
Last seen: 5 years, 2 months
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: Ara16w]
#19469505 - 01/24/14 08:52 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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w00t DBZ rules. yeah android 16 made a powerful point, fighting for the right cause...is not a sin. Although I think he was urging Gohan to right FOR compassion rather than set his compassion aside...compassion is absolutely something you can fight for. Just because you are a warrior doesn't mean you have to be a bloodthirsty beast, there are noble reasons to fight.
Of course I don't really get in many actual fights but you know it still applies...
-------------------- check out my music! drowse in prison and your waking will be but loss
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Ara16w
An Acquaintance


Registered: 06/21/11
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: g00ru]
#19469541 - 01/24/14 09:03 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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It didn't have to be just in the context of DBZ, but Gohan had to lose his compassion for Cell. It already made my point for me in a way, but being loving towards people doesn't always work. Sometimes you have to be a stone cold bastard in telling them the truth should you desire a change, and even if they fight it with their ego in that moment, it's something that will stick with them. People blow up in ways that are not normal to their behavior when they get into denial like that, and it's typically something that will be on their mind simply because of their own unusual reaction.
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g00ru
lit pants tit licker



Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 21,088
Loc: georgia, us
Last seen: 5 years, 2 months
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: Ara16w]
#19469544 - 01/24/14 09:05 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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i think love always works. sometimes though, if you choose that route, you find out what true emotional intensity really is. As for DBZ i think Gohan just went super chi warrior on cell's ass, but I do think they Saiyans are typically good dudes. Even Vegeta and his huge inferiority complex lol.
-------------------- check out my music! drowse in prison and your waking will be but loss
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Ara16w
An Acquaintance


Registered: 06/21/11
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: g00ru]
#19469562 - 01/24/14 09:11 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Illuminatus bro.. The World Bank, the Rockafellers, Morgans, and other scammers. As much as I'd like to believe that love for those people would change them, it's highly improbable. I honestly have more faith in a serial killer being "restored" than the people running the world. No amount of kindness and compassion despite their actions is likely to change them in this lifetime.
There's a whole different arguement to be made that sometimes being a hardass is still choosing love I suppose.
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g00ru
lit pants tit licker



Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 21,088
Loc: georgia, us
Last seen: 5 years, 2 months
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: Ara16w]
#19469596 - 01/24/14 09:27 PM (10 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Ara16w said:
There's a whole different arguement to be made that sometimes being a hardass is still choosing love I suppose.
that's what i'm sayin. Even the corrupt bankers and politicians can't stand up to love, especially if everybody wakes up. But it starts with individuals.
-------------------- check out my music! drowse in prison and your waking will be but loss
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PinkFloyd_420
Lurking



Registered: 03/07/09
Posts: 203
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: g00ru]
#19470256 - 01/25/14 12:57 AM (10 years, 30 days ago) |
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Compassion to me is ultimately negative. Compares well with nostalgia, imo
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shivas.wisdom
בּ



Registered: 02/19/09
Posts: 13,462
Loc: Turtle Island
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: PinkFloyd_420]
#19470907 - 01/25/14 07:45 AM (10 years, 30 days ago) |
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Care to explain further?
To me, compassion refers to an active desire to alleviate suffering, brought about by an understanding into the nature of suffering combined with empathy--whereas nostalgia refers to a sentimental longing for a time past.
Unless you use different definitions, I'm not seeing the relation.
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g00ru
lit pants tit licker



Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 21,088
Loc: georgia, us
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: shivas.wisdom]
#19472087 - 01/25/14 01:09 PM (10 years, 30 days ago) |
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to me its the spontaneous impulse to help others, and that shouldn't be gotten rid of. it's what life is all about at a certain point. whether you are leading by example or actually using your words in a constructive way. compassion goes way beyond obvious acts like tending somebody's wounds, or what have you.
-------------------- check out my music! drowse in prison and your waking will be but loss
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Vsnares.Zappa
bend over


Registered: 05/04/11
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: Ellis Dee]
#19472108 - 01/25/14 01:13 PM (10 years, 30 days ago) |
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Compassion is part of evolution mang.
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shivas.wisdom
בּ



Registered: 02/19/09
Posts: 13,462
Loc: Turtle Island
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Re: Compassion may be the worst thing in the world [Re: g00ru]
#19472129 - 01/25/14 01:18 PM (10 years, 30 days ago) |
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it can be as simple as listening to someone talk about their problems, even if you aren't particularly interested or may have somewhere you prefer to be
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