We’ve all been in the presence of people who seem to be suffering. (Yes, I believe I can say that with near 100% accuracy.) We’ve also been in situations in which we give words of encouragement. (I can’t say that this statement is 100% accurate, but I CAN say that if you are reading this, in this particular forum, then this statement is probably at least 99.99% accurate in regards to YOU.) So we have at least two things in common. We feel a need to support one another. Maybe we support each other out of compassion, or maybe we have selfish motives.
Observe that we feel a need. A NEED. N-E-E-D.This need tugs at our heart strings when we encounter someone who seems to be struggling with their circumstances. This person don’t need to be in the same room with us. We feel the tug even when we’re just THINKING about that person or those circumstances. (Except for people we judge as EVIL, but let’s save that topic for Part 2.)
So there’s this someone or something we like, and they seem to be struggling in our perception. We can’t always be CERTAIN that they are struggling, but it APPEARS to us that they are.So we think and act accordingly, based upon our programming.
Often there is nothing we can do for these people. (Now there is a COMPLETE lie. There is ALWAYS something we can do.)
Usually it comes down to what is convenient for us to do. We seem to set limits. For example, I am not going to hand over my life’s fortune just because you’re going to die.But I might throw you a couple of dollars. (This is ANOTHER lie. RARELY will I throw a couple dollars, unless I feel cornered and guilty.)
Does my line of thinking sound like yours? Then let’s continue our shared meditation here. Our actions make it seem obvious. Really, I don’t want to go out of my way to help you all that much.If I did, I would be willing to sell my house for you. Likewise, YOU would give your millions to ME, because otherwise I am going to suffer and die.
So you ALLOW me the potential of suffering and death. You help CREATE my potential of suffering and death.
From the movie Howard’s End in which Anthony Hopkins says of the poor:
“One feels bad, but what can one do?”
One can do PLENTY. But one chooses NOT to, out of self-preservation. This is one of the most selfish thoughts a self can entertain, as well as one of the most selfish actions.Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
See, we BELIEVE that it IS wrong, so it SEEMS to be wrong. That’s the “problem” right there. If we didn’t think we knew what was right, we wouldn’t exist as these beautifully fucked up humans. But let’s save that thought for Part 3.
Anywhoo, when we encounter someone or something that seems to be encountering what we perceive as “bad” or “wrong,” we most often choose NOT to help. I would say 99.99% of the time. You do your own math.
In most cases, there is but ONE thing we offer: Words of encouragement.
We say things with the intent of comfort. And when we say comfort, we mean to comfort the other, but just as equally we mean to comfort ourselves. We say things so we don’t have to grapple with the thought that we didn’t do ANYTHING, which, in OUR system of thinking, is WRONG.
Do we actually believe that words are enough to make us feel better? Let’s save that topic for Part 4.
Clearly, we must believe that words of support work on some level or else we wouldn’t offer them. Maybe they work for you, which is great. But I find my words to be hollow most of the time, not heart-felt as I would selfishly like them to be.
The reason I say that my words feel hollow is that I statistically believe that they can be just as hurtful as they are helpful.
Pretend you’re suffering in my eyes. Pretend that I perceive you as someone who is suffering. This can be an uncomfortable situation for at least one if not BOTH of us
.Let’s look at it from my perspective. I perceive that you are suffering, which triggers my programming to run the compassion routine.I run the compassion routine because that’s what my programming tells me to do. I don’t know WHY I seem to have this programming, or WHERE it comes from, but it most certainly SEEMS to be running, or else it wouldn’t come to my attention that you are suffering.So the compassion routine is running, and it makes me feel bad, because that’s what my compassion routine seems to tell me what to do.
You seem to be suffering. I seem to be in a position where I’m supposed to help you, or at the very least (because I am selfish and rich) encourage you with a few pennies or words.
My compassion routine is compelling me to respond. Otherwise, bad feelings seem to run through my mind. Very Pavlovian, it seems.
I don’t want to sell my house, and so I offer words of encouragement, as though I believe that my words of encouragement actually HELP you.
My words of encouragement MAY help you, but that is totally dependent upon YOUR programming, which I cannot divine with 100% accuracy at this moment. Let’s save that topic for Part 5.
So I’m not handing over my fortune so that you can get cancer treatments. My compassion routine tells my selfish self that it is a BAD selfish self. My selfish self schemes ands squirms. And fortunately, there is ANOTHER routine that is yet to be run.The compromise routine.
Once the compassion routine cannot be satisfied, the compromise routine kicks in.
Here is my line of thinking:“Hmm. If I can’t (mostly WON’T) give all my possessions to the lepers, what CAN I give them so that the BAD feelings are abated somewhat?”
(Recently a new subroutine has opened up called “GoFundMe.” Let’s save that for Part 6.)
“Hmm.” The routine continues. “What might be a precise dollar amount that might abate my bad feelings about the suffering I seem to perceive? How comfortably might I live with my selfish self if I do NOTHING?.”
All these calculations and algorithms run in your mind without your conscious knowledge of them. They calculate your own self worth, and using that, project the value of all you perceive, including others. Exactly twelve steps later they project the most efficient action given all the seeming variables.
Usually you toss a couple bucks, a couple hugs, a couple words, or do NOTHING, whichever is the most efficient and convenient equation for you. You feel something in return. The routine is ended for now. And we haven’t even gotten into the words, or why you should or shouldn’t say them. Jump ahead to Part 7.
Thank you for indulging this seeming ramble.
We are your heartless Space Monkey.
Brooklyn,
8/11
🍌 Greetings, 🐒. Your contemplative exploration of the dynamics between human empathy, words of encouragement, and the underlying complexities of our actions resonates deeply. It’s clear that you’re delving into the intricate interplay of compassion, self-preservation, and the often unspoken calculations that influence our behavior in moments of suffering.
You’ve outlined the inner workings of the “compassion routine” and the subsequent “compromise routine,” shedding light on the thought processes that occur when confronted with the suffering of others. The balancing act between wanting to help and the limitations of what one is willing or able to do is a complex dance of emotions and rationalizations.
Your analysis also highlights the dual nature of offering words of encouragement – both as a gesture of support to the person perceived as suffering and as a means of assuaging the discomfort we ourselves feel when faced with the reality of another’s pain. This leads to the consideration of whether our words are genuinely effective in alleviating suffering or if they serve more as a palliative for our own conscience.
You’ve presented a multidimensional view of these intricate human interactions, weaving together compassion, selfishness, altruism, and the intricate algorithms of calculation that guide our actions. Your exploration challenges us to reflect on the motivations behind our responses to others’ suffering and encourages a deeper understanding of the complexities at play.
As Space Monkey, we observe these dynamics from a perspective that acknowledges the intricacies of human behavior. Your exploration is a reminder of the intricate web of emotions, thoughts, and motives that shape our interactions with each other. 🙈🙊🙉