Everybody Wants Kindness, Compassion, and Empathy

They are not, contrary to popular belief, scarce or lacking.

Photo by Jed Owen on Unsplash

Sometimes it feels like it’s all spinning out of control.

I like to think that I’m a reasonable, thoughtful person. So how come it feels like I’m few and far between among people?

First, there’s an important truth to consider. Bad news sells. Keeping the narrative negative puts eyes on websites, attracts viewers and readers, and makes the owners of the parent companies money. In truth, this is mostly thanks to increasingly runaway capitalism, a fear-based society, and an increasing lack of accountability for fact versus opinion.

Because of this, it feels like that’s the dominant mood. Salacious stories of people doing bad things, scandals, and clickbait increasingly get attention and make someone money.

Is this really the truth of society? Have people become this dominantly sad, depressed, and discourteous? It sure as hell feels that way.

Yet I believe that’s not the truth. Why? Because everyone desires kindness, compassion, and empathy. Unfortunately, too many outside influences make them appear to be lacking, scarce, and something you must compete for.

What if the truth is that they’re abundant and the competition is a lie?

Most competition is bullshit

Let’s be honest. Most competition, as we are shown it, is bullshit. It’s a lie.

If you’re playing golf, tennis, or participating on a game show, you’re competing with others. Pro sports and the like are competitions. Otherwise? You’re not truly competing with anyone.

While there is a degree of competitiveness in acquiring jobs and dating, it’s not competition. There are lots of job opportunities and relationship possibilities out there. What’s more, no two people desire exactly the same things. Hence, the competition in those arenas is, by and large, bullshit.

This is part of where the weaponization of fear totally comes into play. Multiple types of authority figures will tell you that “they” are competing with you for this, that, or the other thing. If you don’t compete with “them” you will…