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Are we deprogramming empathy in the US? (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by muxika@lemmy.world to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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I hear these comments for not wanting to help people, and it feels like we're worshipping individuality to the detriment of community, which is necessary for survival.

  • "I don't want my money going to ___ ."
  • "This is not a democracy, it's a constitutional republic!"
  • "You don't have any freedoms under socialism/communism."
  • "They're just looking for a handout because they're lazy."
  • "I'm a self-made man. I didn't need anyone's help."
  • "Empathy is not a virtue."
  • "I don't see how that's my problem."
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[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

It's not innate...

Innately humans are just animals. It takes effort to get people on the same page that cooperating is usually best

But we stopped teaching kids that in school 20 years ago.

That's the sad truth about it. It's not that the right corrupted a generation, just that between them an the neoliberals, no one wanted to help them. They both wanted brain dead tribalism because that's what their mutual donors want

It honestly shouldn't be that hard for everyone to follow the string back to "no child left behind' but I remember pointing out this would happen 30 years ago, and I thought it was obvious back then too.

[-] DillDough@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 weeks ago

Animals work together very easily and frequently actually, same and different species, even things called symbiotic relationships. That argument is proving your point wrong and indicating that most hatred is indoctrination.

[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

And they're socialized for that too...

Take a social animal, raise it in isolation, and it will be almost impossible for it to integrate in a group after released as an adult...

You've never seen any of the videos of wildlife rehab hiding the fact that they're human from an animal?

this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2025
62 points (95.6% liked)

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