On Judgement, Stick, Stones and Bird Droppings

First the poem … 

Cyber Stones

I wrote this piece after I saw an online post of man perpetuating some pretty horrendous violence. If the pictures were an accurate portrayal he did no less than torture another living being. My first feelings were a tremendous sense of empathy for the one being tortured. I wanted to reach into those pictures and stop what was going on. But the abuse had occurred in the past and there's no going into the past. There is preventing future occurrences. We have our laws; we have prison. But since most abuse goes unreported our best hope lies in greater awareness and empathy. 

Did these photos increase awareness and empathy… 

The comment feed presented an ever growing list of condemnation of the perpetuator and/or worse promising to do the same thing to him should the opportunity arise. Well here's the bad news ... anger crowds out empathy. You cannot feel empathy for one while feeling anger for another … at least not at the same time. Your mind is either involved in being angry or being empathetic. 

Go ahead … give it a try. 

I've seen this kind of commenting behaviour time and time again and for far less atrocious acts …. or attached to items like all those Walmart posts, … condemnation offered up for nothing more than having a questionable fashion sense. So what that tells me is that the comments are not about the act but rather a chance to serve the ego through anger and/or exercising a false sense of superiority. 

I've been there I get it, but understand when you choose to feed your anger … you starve your empathy.

Heres the thing when I looked at those photos I saw two beings in pain. Because you can depend, when the victimizer had been young, someone had done something very similar to him. 

How can I give empathy to a monster ...

Whether you come down on the side of nature or nurture ... until we learn to transcend our own fear, lust, and anger ... we are a combined product of our DNA and environment. We have no control over our genetics and when we are young, we have very little control over our environment. Given the same DNA and with the same upbringing and faced with the same situation, you would behave the same way. Don't kid yourself otherwise. 

That's right. If you consider yourself a morally, well-adjusted individual … you got lucky. Psychopathy is either inherited or instilled when one is young. But don't don't just take my word for it. I highly recommend you watch the psychopath next door. The link is supplied below.

I am not saying close down all the prisons ... it is anything goes time ...  but even with out most destructive members of society there is a call for empathy and an attempt to understand the factors that contribute to anti-social behaviour. We'll get better at recognizing and treating psychopathy and before truly horrendous things can occur. It is more effective than prison and condemnation. As I stated earlier most abusive behaviour goes unreported and as such our laws and judgement do little to prevent it.

Seriously ... we've been condemning and judging for millenniums. 

In the end your judgement does little to help the situation, has a negative effect on you and the one's around you, and prevents learning and increased awareness. But just in case you needed some more convincing … here's one more poem

Take To the Lofty

tanka

The punch line here is linked to the bird's lack of a sphincter muscle. It's nothing personal when the white stuff takes purchase on your shoulder. The bird can't help where his droppings land ... but you can. There is enough misery in the world without you adding your condemnation to it. So hold that stuff in and ask yourself is there another way to see this … it's one better than alchemy. 

I'll let you think on that one … ohhh … oooh …  It's just nature ladies and gentlemen:)

Alright on that note I'll say good-bye for now. Please like and comment. Your support is very much appreciated and I know you have much to contribute to the discussion. Blessings 

Link for the Psychopath Next Door

http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/ID/2618107281/