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The Forum > Article Comments > From crisis to compassion > Comments

From crisis to compassion : Comments

By Caryn Cridland, published 24/8/2011

What is clear is that competitive values have got us here, but they cannot get us out of here. Only with increased dialogue, understanding, responsibility, sharing, and kindness, will our world recover.

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Nice essay.
The author of this book has been arguing a similar case for years.

http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/nc.htm

As does the author of this essay (and book).

http://www.dabase.org/p2anthro.htm

Also http://www.dabase.org/coopdoub.htm
Posted by Ho Hum, Wednesday, 24 August 2011 8:45:02 AM
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Hi Caryn,

Actually there is a good case that co-operation has largely got us to the (good aspects of the) current situation. Kropotkin's Mutual Aid deserves to be better known. If ants competed with each other there'd be no nests and they'd all die. Patent wars are slowing innovation not helping it.

I do agree that compassion is needed - I just think the case is much stronger than you state.

Probably the major problem with competition is that it narrows focus - to the 'winning'. So companies only care about profit and so on. But people aren't only concerned with profit so their other needs (like a healthy ecology, vibrant society and so on) can be negatively effected by corporates.
Posted by Evan Hadkins, Wednesday, 24 August 2011 9:16:38 AM
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This article is based on a false dichotomy. Both competitive and compassionate behaviour contribute to human thriving. They are not mutually exclusive or incompatible. Empathy and co-operation are essential in competitive activities from business to sport, and competition has, as the article points out, delivered huge benefits for human welfare by spurring innovation.
Posted by Rhian, Wednesday, 24 August 2011 7:53:15 PM
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Totally agree with the author about the benefits of co-operation. But I think it is an exaggeration to suggest that humans have benefited from our cultural emphasis on competition.
Posted by Mollydukes, Thursday, 25 August 2011 3:47:17 PM
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Compassion is much needed in society- yet sadly only seems to be directed at the 'squeaky wheels'- some of whom often turn out to be users- while joe nobody gets ignored by doing the right thing (seems to be the small l liberal mantra- screw the peasants who are trying to make ends meet doing the right thing- but specifically jump on actually bad people to help them out- as if to show off how 'enlightened' their sense of remorse is).

I do a lot of things for others- but I staunchly refuse to help anyone who I think is a bad person- by helping a bad person I am in effect doing a bad deed, as I may well have helped them commit bad acts against others.
Posted by King Hazza, Friday, 26 August 2011 1:13:59 PM
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The idea is that sometimes people behave badly because they don't know how to be good, or why to be good and if we help them to become good people, we will all be better off. If we don't help the bad people, they will become even worse and we will need more jails, and need personal protection. Jails and personal protection are very expensive and limit our freedom.

People do behave badly, but it is not because they are bad people. The old idea of criminal genes, lazy genes etc has not been shown to he true or useful for preventing bad people.

It seems likely that there are certain genetic types that, in certain environments, are more likely to behave badly than other genetic types. The idea is that we find and elimate the factors in the environment that cause the bad behaviour and introduce factors - such as exposure to good role models - that will produce good behaviour and good people.
Posted by Mollydukes, Friday, 26 August 2011 2:52:55 PM
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Problem is, we actually have plenty of people that sincerely do not care- even consider it a joke- to do the right thing for others. People even get thrills out of cheating and stealing, and the problems that it causes others. Occasionally these people might become a bit moralistic that we aught to be helping people THEY feel sorry for (and sometimes rationalizing their own bad behaviour by)- so they feel like they are not complete ogres.

When you approach a bad person for their bad behaviour- they simply find a way to justify it to protect their ego.

Sad but true.
Posted by King Hazza, Sunday, 28 August 2011 6:40:23 PM
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