All those ungrateful tourists that can't stand the idea of getting mistakenly deported into a High Security Salvadoran prison and then being left to rot there because 'yeah, it's kinda annoying but we can't get him back, you know'.
If I were the all-mighty orange dude, I would put a 146% tax on every single tourist that is refusing to come spend their money in the USA! They're nothing but traitors! They should pay! And maybe I would invade their country, to show the world who's the boss.
If I was to summarize it (which I would normally not do) I would say empathy is the ability to smile when witnessing some random person being happy, and to cry when seeing some random person crying.
It's being able to feel emotions without any, personal or physical, bounds between those two persons that may not even know each other. It's recognizing oneself in that other, a stranger, despite all the differences. Something along that line.
Glad to know. Like I said, it's a complex question but a very interesting one. Do not hesitate, if you want to discuss it further. I don't know about you, but I've always considered it a huge boost, I was about to write 'a blessing' but that would certainly not have been a smart choice of words ;), the ability to have articulated discussions about even the most... delicate questions.
I appreciate the thoughtful response. My main takeaway, and what i wanted to make clear: the opinions your parents inbued to you were just that, opinions.
I would not have considered it like that back then, and maybe I would not even today but I completely understand your point of view. And that's true. There is certainly a huge difference between the way I was raised by my parents, no matter the other issues, and the way I would have been raised in believing in... something so out of of reach and unquestionable I should fear and bow to.
Still, they were highly destructive in their own way and, my live getting closer to its end than to its beginning I still have not managed to overcome a few of the damages... without any god involved in the process of damaging those things in me. That's what I think is key: it's too easy to think that by not preaching some religion/faith or another one is a better person. That's not as simple.
I hope that clears up some of my first comment.
It does. Thx a lot for taking the time.
This is the thing I was praising. I wanted to point out how much of a benefit that is to you, even if it doesn’t feel like it.
Agreed and make no mistake: I fully realize that (it's part of the education I mentioned I received) and for that I'm deeply grateful to them. But my gratitude will end there. For all the rest, I'd rather express no feelings of any kind at all as they would uselessly and mostly be negative. That would serve no purpose.
I hope you’re having a great weekend, and I’d be happy to chat in dms if you wanted to discuss more.
The same to you. It sure feels great to have a quality exchange. It's not my habit to reach out (mostly because I'm shy), but don't hesitate to reach out if you ever want to discuss anything further.
It seems like a subtle thing on the surface, but it’s not.
Indeed, it's not. So many large US corps have been instantly shifting their so-called support like good little soldiers...
The kicker? I need this job.
Unless one is Musk or one of his close friends, don't we all need money?
It's up to you to decide what to do. I mean, I know what I would do but I also know I'm not in your shoes and that would not be fair for me to push you one way or the other.
What I can say is that you have all my sympathy. That new US president has created some real mess. I imagine most US citizens won't be aware of that but that US president also reached out to those foreign non-US owned private corps (like, here in France) that are doing business with the US gov telling them they should stop their local, non-US inclusive policy if they wanted to keep doing business with the US gov. That's the new version of the 'Land of the free as long as you agree with the boss', I suppose?
I saw that article about illiterate college kids too. Worrying.
Indeed. We have the same issues here in France, btw. It's an absolute failure of our educational system (and of too many parents persisting in wanting that failure to be used) that will cost dear to all those kids, and then will cost to the society as a whole: that's our future 'elite' that's being uneducated.
Although I believe the Jewish minority was the only one that seriously dissented from the prevailing polytheism.
Edit: There were the Christians, a little later on. But I wouldn't know that all religions would be polytheist back then except Jews. I'm really not an expert.
In this context, to inculcate irrational beliefs in children seems to me to be like playing with fire.
It sure can be. But, talking irrational beliefs, wouldn't you agree that telling a child they're a unique and amazing person and that all they do is perfect and amazing too, that they should not have to get bad grades at school because it's infuriating, that they should not have to do their homework because it's tiresome, that they should be allowed to do whatever they fancy the moment they fancy doing it, is also like playing with fire? Still, despite it containing not a single mention of god, religion or spiritual beliefs it's something hordes of parents are telling their own kids every single day.
I do sincerely wonder what will do more harm to those kids but, once again, I'm not pro religion nor am I against it. I'm only pro taking nothing for granted—beginning with our very own certainties if they can't be demonstrated ;)
Well, then I'm sorry but my suggestion is useless. I don't know what to tell you. We're old getting older (at 50+ I feel like a legit wreck, but I'm still in better shape than in my 30s: I mean my body is wrinkled everywhere, I'm bald like an eggshell and I have many health issues but I was a legit junkie back then and I was barely able to do any of the things I can do nowadays)
You're welcome.
I wanted to bring a different point of view as I'm not a huge fan of over-simplification with such a complex question (no matter what I may or may not think about religions)
+1 because I see no reason for the downvotes, beside some people not liking what you say or think? To those persons: feel free to downvote me to oblivion if it helps you feel better and much 'righter' persons but do keep in mind that it may also not be the most efficient way to help me understand in what way you think I'm mistaken. Obviously, this matter only if you want to help me understand, not if you want to 'punish' me for disagreeing with you. But then, I would wonder in what way that is supposed to punish me? Have a nice day, whatever you decide.
Idk how you take that and say who’s to say if one’s better than the other. (...) hat’s what good parents who are religious should be doing.
On a more general note, may I advise you to be more cautious with your use of certain words. I mean, 'good parents' is a very strong expression nobody should use solely based on a first impression, a few words read, and certainly not as a way to demonstrate a point in a discussion because... doing so you're only projecting your own personal values and ideals regarding what good parents should do (which could be 100% correct, or not, that’s not the point) and, well, in that specific case I can assure you you do not know who my parents were. Or if they were any good.
I will tell you they looked real nice people and most people meeting them liked them a lot. I will also tell you they're long gone and that I did not shed a single tear when they passed away. What does that say about them and what does that say about me? Maybe that's telling what an ungrateful asshole I'm, and I may very well be that. Or maybe it's telling how appearance can be misleading and how much better and how much more intimately I knew my parents than anybody else. Who am I to tell?
Your story unironically proves that atheist parents are far and away better parents than religious ones. Idk how you take that and say who’s to say if one’s better than the other. (...) hat’s what good parents who are religious should be doing. Not teaching their children to do exactly as they do.
I think it unironically shows what you believe in, which is fine by me and which is something I may even 100% agree with. That’s not the point.
My point was only this: my atheist parents (so you know: they both were sent to a religious school as kids too. Therefore, they did with me exactly like their parents did with them save that their own parents did not call themselves atheists) forced their own personal opinions onto me, without me being given any real choice.
My point was that the question should not be limited to spiritual or religious matters. And also being religious does not make someone an asshole more nor less than being an atheist would make them an asshole. It’s the person that’s the issue.
Then, I went back to the OP question, saying this was an interesting and very old question with no simple answer, referring to that Plato dude writing about raising children somewhere in the 4th or 3rd century before that other dude, Jesus, was even born. Why mentioning Plato? Maybe because that bearded Greek dude wearing a dress and sandals realized that families in his time were already pushing what he considered way too much personal values and crap, not just religious craps, onto their own child and that the only crap a child should be fed is the crap that the city (aka the Nation) has deemed good for… the city? I would encourage anyone to go read Plato.
So, where does that leave us?
We will all agree that thinking they hold onto some indisputable truth will concern many religious persons, right? Where I seemingly disagree with a few around here, is that I also think it concerns way too many so-called atheists who I think would be much more accurately described as 'anti-religious' (because 'a-theism' is the idea that there is no god, not that one should hate on god or religion). So, unlike those anti-religious persons, I don't consider what they call atheism as a de facto smarter/better choice than being 'theist', or religious. That’s way too simple… like I was saying.
think: Ancient Rome,
As far as I know, Ancient Rome (pre-christian) welcomed many and very different faiths.
Sorry I don't click YT, unless it's really worth it. What is the video about?