tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post2969621954511123679..comments2024-03-29T04:06:37.402-07:00Comments on Had Enough Therapy?: Will Humanism Save Us All?Stuart Schneidermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12784043736879991769noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-15257328305884470532019-06-04T05:02:08.184-07:002019-06-04T05:02:08.184-07:00I have no doubt that when we get the word-theories...I have no doubt that when we get the word-theories and the chemistry right, we will end war. trigger warninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06310637474428322994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-88191024018314397322019-06-03T15:39:45.079-07:002019-06-03T15:39:45.079-07:00In Remarque's great but neglected novel The Ro...In Remarque's great but neglected novel The Road Back, the narrator (Ernst) is returning home to Germany after the armistice that ended WWI. On the way, he encounters as hospital for German soldiers who are in very bad shape, who are dying as a result of gas attacks. Nothing can be done for them.<br /><br />After speaking what words of comfort he can and continuing on his way, Ernst muses: How can he feel such a sense of joy at his survival and return home, when "there behind me on the stretchers my comrades are now lying and still they call. It is peace, yet they must die. But I, I am trembling with joy and am not ashamed. —And that is odd. Because none can ever wholly feel what another suffers—is that the reason why wars perpetually recur?” <br /><br />"Because none can ever wholly feel what another suffers—is that the reason why wars perpetually recur?"...when I first read this, I thought it was only half the story, and I still think so. Wars occur not only because of lack of empathy, but also *because* of empathy...with those people, affiliated in some way (nationality, race, believe system, language,...) who are thought to be being protected or gaining from the particular war.<br /><br />Although oxytocin is generally thought of in beneficent terms, as the 'love hormone' or 'cuddle hormone', there is also research suggesting that it can play a part in aggression against an out-group on behalf of an in-group.David Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15464681514800720063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-89471390283096366182019-06-03T11:23:09.005-07:002019-06-03T11:23:09.005-07:00The rise of pop neuroscience has a lot to do with ...The rise of pop neuroscience has a lot to do with this, too. Now the "Brights" among us feel perfectly justified in hating humanity because they read about some neuroscientific theory in some Malcolm Gladwellesque piece. They can tell you everything that's wrong with man, but nothing that the human person does well. That is indeed sad, but being arrogant about it is pathetic. Especially when you are also... human.Ignatius Acton Chesterton OCDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18222603717128565302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-55152088577468528542019-06-03T10:02:43.628-07:002019-06-03T10:02:43.628-07:00Profound...Profound...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-28599009643664896742019-06-03T09:54:52.959-07:002019-06-03T09:54:52.959-07:00"The thesis that viewing others as objects or..."The thesis that viewing others as objects or animals enables our very worst conduct would seem to explain a great deal. Yet there’s reason to think that it’s almost the opposite of the truth."<br /><br />I agree with Bloom. The thesis that dehumanizing people was a prerequisite to murdering them always seemed like an easy and lazy incantation, just received wisdom that people learn and repeat endlessly thereby thinking it makes it self-evidently true. It's something a vacuous CNN analyst says 15 times each month on almost any subject.<br /><br />People just as often require their enemies to be entirely human--and then the joy of the knife is made that much more satisfying.UbuMaccabeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00237833458790876775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078379512095504946.post-12015733385904840172019-06-03T08:38:16.382-07:002019-06-03T08:38:16.382-07:00The Left demonizes the Right.The Left demonizes the Right.Sam L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00996809377798862214noreply@blogger.com