Why Do So Many Americans Lack Empathy?

I despise what's happening. All of these people are dying, and for what? And they are mostly innocents in other countries, and our military, mostly young adults 18-25. Our government has no problem sending young men and women to their doom with totally apathy, and at the same time telling half of them they're not able to have a beer. What a joke.

I don't understand the rational behind all of these wars, because it certainly couldn't be national security. We'd be MUCH safer if we stopped getting involved in all these religious based wars involving 3rd world countries.

 

America's culture is based on greed and suppression.

 

If they are in opposition to democracy and use violence, they are terrorists whether they think they are defending their homeland or not.

The rationale is the permanent removal of these nations as threats to us. By assimilating them into democracies, we no longer have to worry about whether or not the next regime will be hostile to us.

It has worked before with Japan, South Korea, Germany and now Iraq. It is tedious and expensive, but Democratic Peace Theory works.

 

Read my post #42

 

Total codswallop. Anyone who is occupying another country has no rights, and the inhabitants are entitled to treat them in any way that will make them go home - obviously. That is why we admire the French Resistance to Hitler.

YOU are invading country after country, and murdering vast numbers. No-one is invading you.

See above: America was a liberator, not an occupier during the War. It has not worked in Iraq, obviously, and it isn't working in Afghanistan, any more than it worked in Vietnam, Lebanon or Somalia. Talk sense!

 

I disagree. Nature grants the strong with the ability to define rights. If we are stronger, our definitions take precedence over those of the indigenous population.

I am sure the fact that the French resistance was supporting democracy while Hitler was opposing is has nothing to do with it. LOL

Yeah, because of our preemptive actions. That is the point of preemptive doctrine.

And a nation does not have to invade us to be a threat to us.

Huh? America occupied all of those places until an indigenous democratic government was established.

 

I agree with this in a big part. In small towns and in the country, people tend to be more polite and act with respect towards one another, the community is seen as a whole and we are there for each other. I think part of that is the slower pace, and part is because you tend to see the same people every day for the most part. Smaller towns seem more tight knit, at least in my experience. Smaller towns in the country also tend to be more conservative, and feel disrespected when they see things like the quote below...

It's them rubbing in our face that we took a huge hit on 9/11 and lost a lot of innocent lives over nothing. It's done to spite us, to celebrate "victory", and to get a reaction. I don't care who you are, if someone were to come and kill your wife and kids, got off charges somehow, and then on the anniversary of their deaths would come rub it in your face, it would be a matter of time before you put a bullet in their head.

 

You should probably respond to my post before you start another fight. One front at a time, Patton.

 

In which case, Adolf, give up this vacant bilge about 'terrorism' and make your way to Nuremburg.

(*)(*)(*)(*) all to do with it, obviously.

As Hitler also believed.

You drunk? Go to a library and get one of those squarish things they have there about history.

 

That's crazy. I can't even begin with how wrong I think that is.

So if you get successfully mugged, the mugger gets to define your rights and is right to take whatever he wants? If you're raped, that's okay, the rapist is stronger than you are?

No. Uh uh.

 

I think you are missing the concept.

While you are being mugged, the mugger IS defining your rights because he is "stronger" (or at least better armed). Afterwards, you go to the police who are "stronger" (or at least better armed or have better numbers) than the mugger and they arrest him for crimes committed against man's laws. If the police were not "stronger", then the mugger would not go to jail.

Same thing in the case of rape.

The poster wasn't saying that mugging and rape were OK, he was stating that the stronger usually get their way. If we are unable to protect ourselves, we use the legal system as our strength.

 

Okay. Sadistic-Savior, is that what you were saying?

 

IMO, the only terrorists are us. But for the last 10 yrs, the term has been beaten into our heads by our govt., to define those who don't agree with us, hoping it would stick, so that noone would question us. This way, our govt. can do as they please.

 

I read the subject and I thought you were going to talk about the less than 1% of the population that pays over 20% of all the collected income tax. Oh well - wrong thread.

 

You mean the poor? They pay much more than that, you know. The rich pay accountants.

 

I think Americans overall have a relatively limited Global view. Countrys in Europe are exposed to much more diversity of culture then we are here in the states. This is largely geographical, but also culturally.

Couple that with the theme that is instilled in all Americans that we are the greatest country on earth (which I agree with on many but not all fronts), and you have the recipe for lack of empathy for other countries, peoples and religions.

 

The poor?

According to the FILED tax returns for 2008 by the IRS. The "poor" or 4.3% of the filed returns paid ZERO INCOME TAXES.

In fact the bottom 5% of income tax filers only contributed .01% of the net income tax. While the top 1% paid over 20% of ALL collected income tax.

I am happy to provide you the IRS links and post the data.

No - the poor do NOT pay income taxes.

I just thought that they could empathize with the top 1% who pay 20% of all the collected income tax. Guess not.

 

Why Do So Many Americans Lack Empathy?

Wow, RiseAgainst!

Are you saying these people lack empathy for the citizens and shop owners they injure and riot against?

Are you sure about this?

^




Here is an angry face and destructive behavior only a mother can love! Mayor Michael A. Nutter, telling marauding black youths in Philadelphia, “you have damaged your own race,” imposed a tougher curfew Monday in response to the latest “flash mob” — spontaneous groups of teens who attack people at random on the streets of the city’s tourist and fashionable shopping districts.

“Take those God-darn hoodies down, especially in the summer,” Mr. Nutter, the city’s third black mayor, said in an angry lecture aimed at black teens. “Pull your pants up and buy a belt ‘cause no one wants to see your underwear or the crack of your butt.”

 

Depends how you count 'poor'. I'd say those who don't have any effect on your government - those getting under $10,000,000 a year, say. Why should the destitute be expected to pay anything? They should be receiving millions in compensation for the way they've been robbed.

 

They ARE receiving millions in compensation - via the variety of social services and welfare. What country are you from.

Robbed? They don't have any money or assets to rob.

 

Do you have any faces that aren't angry, now the right is raging? To judge by what we read the whole country has turned mean-minded, cold-hearted, spiteful and ignorant. Empathy? Pity - it used to be an admirable country once.

 

I totally agree, the wealthy use the poor and ignorant for there own end.

 

Ironically Poor and ignorant are NOT mutually exclusive.

Still wondering how we CAN use them. If you have any ideas how I can use the poor and/or ignorant - please let me know.

So far it seems to be me paying and them taking.

 

This statement reminds me of something that happen to me several months. Though I'm not much for the military anyway.

The shop owner was complaining to me about the guy on his corner store always disrupting his customers asking them for money. I turned to look at the guy, apparently from his outfit he was wearing the guy was a homeless vet.

 

How can anyone say this with a straight face?

Seriously. In Europe you have a whole (*)(*)(*)(*)load of white people with a smattering of arabs and north africans.

In America you walk out your door, the Pakistani down the street owns the convenience store. A mexican family runs a roofing company on the highway. A Chinese family runs a kick ass hibachi grill in the strip mall. A Iranian family will be found shopping in the Grocery store, while an Ethiopian family lives in the apartment down the street.

THAT is diversity. Europe has NOTHING to match our society. America is all the world wrapped up in one with a lifetime of travel destinations spread over an entire continent. We don't need to travel. It's all right here.