In this life, there is devastation that human beings experience here that defies understanding: pain so all-consuming and loss so indescribable that wrapping our minds around it or explaining it is simply beyond capacity.
While learning about Hitler in my youth, the one question I always asked is how could people stand by and allow the murder of so many of their countrymen and women. Yet here we are, on the brink of similar atrocities and now I see how it happened. The death of empathy is the first step.
I have been watching in horror the incredible wildfires in Ca. The damage done by them is going to last for a generation as the forests are destroyed and the rebuilding of homes and resettling of owners is going to take longer. This doesn't take into account the wildlife that has been wiped out in this tragedy. What needs to be done is WHY this happened and to have more sophisticated methods to make sure it never happens again. With all the noise from politicians they are not putting out the flames but fanning them higher and people whether wealthy or just regular citizens are forgotten. To their credit, Canada and Mexico have come to California with huge planes to help with water, other states have sent workers to help with firefighters and workers to help people. So politicians fan the flames and as usual we the people put out the fire.
I would say that the MAGA folks cruel, hateful rhetoric is NOT friendly fire. The base sees anyone not in the MAGA camp as the enemy. I watched a man-on-the-street clip with some 45 supporters. Their responses to questions about bright colors and rainbows was mind numbing. I do not mean a rainbow flag, representing the LGBTQ+ community, I mean an ordinary rainbow, which they said was indoctrinating children because children like bright colors. If politicians are trying to appeal to cult members, such as the folks in the clip, is it any wonder they use such ugly rhetoric? Newt Gingrich is the person who started the warfare rhetoric in recent American politics in order to demonize folks on the left.
I live on the NC coast and am a hurricane survivor. My heart goes out to the California folks devastated by fire. Surviving a natural disaster is an horrendous experience. I remember being numb and not knowing what to do next as we surveyed the damage to our home. So many have lost everything. Weaponizing EVERYTHING for political advantage is beyond cruel. Intentionally hurting others will come back on these people. What goes around, comes back around. Karma is a bitch.
Gingrich, yes. When speaker of the house, he came up with list of positive qualities to be used for Republicans & negative ones for Democrats. Worse, Rush Limbaugh filled listeners for decades? with hateful rhetoric toward liberals & women….? morphed into current Republican crass rhetoric toward left, women, minorities…
You can use your pen and tell us what we already know, and the forces we are up against, or you can do your part to inspire your readers to lean into community now more than ever. You could share about the vet who personally rescued over 40 dogs she retrieved from the streets. Or, the 100 or so firefighters who volunteered from Mexico, many of them walking across the border and past the wall. Or, Jamie Lee Curtis, donating $1 million toward rebuild efforts for a city she desperately loves, and doing her best to keep up everyone’s spirits. Her generosity will likely fuel others’. The equestrian centers opening to take in livestock, fire trucks rumbling down the highways toward Pasadena from cities to the north and east, people setting out bowls of water for wild life, and firefighters, including over 700 incarcerated individuals, doing their utmost against flames and Santa Ana Winds. Canada sending airplanes and volunteers. The prayers we are sending.
London and Rome and cities have burned since we began living in density; powerful and wealthy men have always taken advantage of entire populations of people - that is what colonization and the ever-present human fear of dwindling resources is all about. The difference today is that Mother Earth, herself, is in peril. But she will defend Herself, and if it takes apocalyptic natural disasters, wars, hunger and disease, to diminish and cripple the human presence enough for Her to survive and to heal, so be it.
In the meantime, readers also have a choice. Mine will be to read and listen to those who help build community; those who educate with resolute truths and facts; those who promote actionable steps of resistance; those who inspire with fearless words of encouragement and hope.
We can concentrate on the ashes of Los Angeles, or we can use them as an urgent platform to speak up for carefully planning how it will be rebuilt, on what new building should be informed by. Let’s build a coalition to help climate scientists advocate for less density, force questions on future water supply, quit planting lawns once and for all, have deeper and smarter borders between wild spaces and homes. We have an opportunity to encourage Los Angeles to be intentional and intelligent when they design and rebuild. That’s worthy of advocation. What would a city look like if informed by the very best climate practices?
Look to what good and what changes we might be able to help make happen going forward. There’s nothing better than winning when the odds seem stacked against you.
Empathy has been dead for millennia, John: you must have looked the other way when it came knocking on your door. The history of religions in the world is a history of violence against others, lack of empathy, and a burning desire to do harm. In the "Albigensian" Crusade, which was declared in southern France and northern Spain (what is now Spain--then it was the kingdom of Castile) in 1209, the French soldiers who attacked their own city of Béziers asked the papal legate, the abbot of Citeaux (one of the most important institutions of the medieval church and the founding home of the Cistercian Order), how they could distinguish between "heretics" and "true" Christians. The abbot's reply? "Kill them all: God will sort out his own." When the supposedly great Roman Cato the Censor was asked what he did when his hundreds of enslaved workers got too old to work, he replied that he just turned them out of their homes and let them die of exposure because slaves who couldn't work were useless. I could go on. Empathy is a LEARNED response, one that has to be taught and nurtured. Selfishness, clannishness, schadenfreude, and viciousness seem to be more genetically engrained traits. I wish I could think differently, I really do. But in my life what I have seen more often than not is the mindlessness of cruelty and the banality of evil.
Thank you for your passionate and informative post. Following Jesus and living out His teachings isn't easy. He calls us to love others as ourselves and to love our enemies. It's nearly impossible to do, but we must keep working towards that goal.
In addition to the belief and faith components, organized religions are power structures. Judging by the behavior and speech of a great many who say they are Christians, these days, it appears that glorifying God, preaching the Gospel of Jesus and serving others has been pushed aside.
Selective empathy for those of the right gender, race/ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and degree of wealth or fame, isn’t empathy. We have to be able to see and understand the view of the world from every person’s view or we are biased. I don’t have to agree or not be angered with someone’s feelings and views but I do need to understand those emotions and views, sadly even from MAGA family members.
Selective empathy we have a new terminology that has come into our language how sad as it reflects on us the people and not where it belongs on the politicians.
A majority of Americans voted back into power a man and his loyal party who have totally demonstrated no empathy, no compassion. Children killed in our schools. They're ok with the status quo. Children at the border separated permanently from their parents. They're ok with that. When Asheville, NC faced their disaster Trump blamed Biden. Now, with the California fires, he blames liberal democratic leaders. All the GOP will back trump, no matter the level of cruelty or the amount of lies on top of lies. My focus is on me, my family. I'm done hoping to see the arc of justice bend towards the good like MLK hoped. Look at the assholes trump is picking for his cabinet. ALL loyalists. Period. The rich and powerful will have a field day and be able to buy politicians with their pocket change.
Californians! Here, in Western North Carolina, where we are still barely scratching the surface of rebuilding after the devastation of Helene, we get you! Find us on social media, or we'll find you. We'll talk to you, listen to you, love on you! We get you! We have been through this. Different element - same result. Huge thanks to our Canadian and Mexican friends who were there for us for both these tragedies. Why our neighbors are still talking to us is beyond me, but I am glad they are here.
Those who DARE push their religious BS during this or any other tragedy - do NOT come near me. I've had it and I am not in the mood.
I did not see God direct the path of any of these fires to circumvent the houses and lives of His own believers. We should not direct our empathy to bypass those with differing views of the world. But it makes me wonder…is there even a god at all? And are we are not human anymore?
Good morning, John. Thank you for your insight into the dual presence of this terribleness. You live in NC. I wish you would refocus some attention to the devastation in WNC. It is still such a mess.
I live in WNC. We do feel forgotten. Unfortunately, the speed of disasters interrupts empathy for individual circumstances. I don't know of a solution, this is just an observation.
Why are we not more vigilant, it's hard to prepare for the left over fury of a hurricane but these fires have been going on forever and just gets worse year after year........but wait do I need to ask this question or do I already know this answer..........Politics? In my humble opinion with all the brilliant mines on this earth (not that they are in congress sadly) could we not come up with a solution. My heart breaks for all of God creatures that lost their lives the voiceless, we were given charge by God to take care of the animals I know he has to be so sad to see how we have failed.
While learning about Hitler in my youth, the one question I always asked is how could people stand by and allow the murder of so many of their countrymen and women. Yet here we are, on the brink of similar atrocities and now I see how it happened. The death of empathy is the first step.
I have been watching in horror the incredible wildfires in Ca. The damage done by them is going to last for a generation as the forests are destroyed and the rebuilding of homes and resettling of owners is going to take longer. This doesn't take into account the wildlife that has been wiped out in this tragedy. What needs to be done is WHY this happened and to have more sophisticated methods to make sure it never happens again. With all the noise from politicians they are not putting out the flames but fanning them higher and people whether wealthy or just regular citizens are forgotten. To their credit, Canada and Mexico have come to California with huge planes to help with water, other states have sent workers to help with firefighters and workers to help people. So politicians fan the flames and as usual we the people put out the fire.
“The friendly fire of senseless cruelty”
I would say that the MAGA folks cruel, hateful rhetoric is NOT friendly fire. The base sees anyone not in the MAGA camp as the enemy. I watched a man-on-the-street clip with some 45 supporters. Their responses to questions about bright colors and rainbows was mind numbing. I do not mean a rainbow flag, representing the LGBTQ+ community, I mean an ordinary rainbow, which they said was indoctrinating children because children like bright colors. If politicians are trying to appeal to cult members, such as the folks in the clip, is it any wonder they use such ugly rhetoric? Newt Gingrich is the person who started the warfare rhetoric in recent American politics in order to demonize folks on the left.
I live on the NC coast and am a hurricane survivor. My heart goes out to the California folks devastated by fire. Surviving a natural disaster is an horrendous experience. I remember being numb and not knowing what to do next as we surveyed the damage to our home. So many have lost everything. Weaponizing EVERYTHING for political advantage is beyond cruel. Intentionally hurting others will come back on these people. What goes around, comes back around. Karma is a bitch.
Gingrich, yes. When speaker of the house, he came up with list of positive qualities to be used for Republicans & negative ones for Democrats. Worse, Rush Limbaugh filled listeners for decades? with hateful rhetoric toward liberals & women….? morphed into current Republican crass rhetoric toward left, women, minorities…
“Christians” NOT. Trump is their “reward.”
Snap out of it.
Seriously, John, dig deeper.
We are weary of Monday morning quarterbacking.
We all of us have choices.
You can use your pen and tell us what we already know, and the forces we are up against, or you can do your part to inspire your readers to lean into community now more than ever. You could share about the vet who personally rescued over 40 dogs she retrieved from the streets. Or, the 100 or so firefighters who volunteered from Mexico, many of them walking across the border and past the wall. Or, Jamie Lee Curtis, donating $1 million toward rebuild efforts for a city she desperately loves, and doing her best to keep up everyone’s spirits. Her generosity will likely fuel others’. The equestrian centers opening to take in livestock, fire trucks rumbling down the highways toward Pasadena from cities to the north and east, people setting out bowls of water for wild life, and firefighters, including over 700 incarcerated individuals, doing their utmost against flames and Santa Ana Winds. Canada sending airplanes and volunteers. The prayers we are sending.
London and Rome and cities have burned since we began living in density; powerful and wealthy men have always taken advantage of entire populations of people - that is what colonization and the ever-present human fear of dwindling resources is all about. The difference today is that Mother Earth, herself, is in peril. But she will defend Herself, and if it takes apocalyptic natural disasters, wars, hunger and disease, to diminish and cripple the human presence enough for Her to survive and to heal, so be it.
In the meantime, readers also have a choice. Mine will be to read and listen to those who help build community; those who educate with resolute truths and facts; those who promote actionable steps of resistance; those who inspire with fearless words of encouragement and hope.
We can concentrate on the ashes of Los Angeles, or we can use them as an urgent platform to speak up for carefully planning how it will be rebuilt, on what new building should be informed by. Let’s build a coalition to help climate scientists advocate for less density, force questions on future water supply, quit planting lawns once and for all, have deeper and smarter borders between wild spaces and homes. We have an opportunity to encourage Los Angeles to be intentional and intelligent when they design and rebuild. That’s worthy of advocation. What would a city look like if informed by the very best climate practices?
Look to what good and what changes we might be able to help make happen going forward. There’s nothing better than winning when the odds seem stacked against you.
Thank you for the info on the many ways people are pitching in and making a positive difference.
Empathy has been dead for millennia, John: you must have looked the other way when it came knocking on your door. The history of religions in the world is a history of violence against others, lack of empathy, and a burning desire to do harm. In the "Albigensian" Crusade, which was declared in southern France and northern Spain (what is now Spain--then it was the kingdom of Castile) in 1209, the French soldiers who attacked their own city of Béziers asked the papal legate, the abbot of Citeaux (one of the most important institutions of the medieval church and the founding home of the Cistercian Order), how they could distinguish between "heretics" and "true" Christians. The abbot's reply? "Kill them all: God will sort out his own." When the supposedly great Roman Cato the Censor was asked what he did when his hundreds of enslaved workers got too old to work, he replied that he just turned them out of their homes and let them die of exposure because slaves who couldn't work were useless. I could go on. Empathy is a LEARNED response, one that has to be taught and nurtured. Selfishness, clannishness, schadenfreude, and viciousness seem to be more genetically engrained traits. I wish I could think differently, I really do. But in my life what I have seen more often than not is the mindlessness of cruelty and the banality of evil.
Thank you for your passionate and informative post. Following Jesus and living out His teachings isn't easy. He calls us to love others as ourselves and to love our enemies. It's nearly impossible to do, but we must keep working towards that goal.
In addition to the belief and faith components, organized religions are power structures. Judging by the behavior and speech of a great many who say they are Christians, these days, it appears that glorifying God, preaching the Gospel of Jesus and serving others has been pushed aside.
Selective empathy for those of the right gender, race/ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and degree of wealth or fame, isn’t empathy. We have to be able to see and understand the view of the world from every person’s view or we are biased. I don’t have to agree or not be angered with someone’s feelings and views but I do need to understand those emotions and views, sadly even from MAGA family members.
Selective empathy we have a new terminology that has come into our language how sad as it reflects on us the people and not where it belongs on the politicians.
A majority of Americans voted back into power a man and his loyal party who have totally demonstrated no empathy, no compassion. Children killed in our schools. They're ok with the status quo. Children at the border separated permanently from their parents. They're ok with that. When Asheville, NC faced their disaster Trump blamed Biden. Now, with the California fires, he blames liberal democratic leaders. All the GOP will back trump, no matter the level of cruelty or the amount of lies on top of lies. My focus is on me, my family. I'm done hoping to see the arc of justice bend towards the good like MLK hoped. Look at the assholes trump is picking for his cabinet. ALL loyalists. Period. The rich and powerful will have a field day and be able to buy politicians with their pocket change.
Californians! Here, in Western North Carolina, where we are still barely scratching the surface of rebuilding after the devastation of Helene, we get you! Find us on social media, or we'll find you. We'll talk to you, listen to you, love on you! We get you! We have been through this. Different element - same result. Huge thanks to our Canadian and Mexican friends who were there for us for both these tragedies. Why our neighbors are still talking to us is beyond me, but I am glad they are here.
Those who DARE push their religious BS during this or any other tragedy - do NOT come near me. I've had it and I am not in the mood.
I did not see God direct the path of any of these fires to circumvent the houses and lives of His own believers. We should not direct our empathy to bypass those with differing views of the world. But it makes me wonder…is there even a god at all? And are we are not human anymore?
Good morning, John. Thank you for your insight into the dual presence of this terribleness. You live in NC. I wish you would refocus some attention to the devastation in WNC. It is still such a mess.
I live in WNC. We do feel forgotten. Unfortunately, the speed of disasters interrupts empathy for individual circumstances. I don't know of a solution, this is just an observation.
Why are we not more vigilant, it's hard to prepare for the left over fury of a hurricane but these fires have been going on forever and just gets worse year after year........but wait do I need to ask this question or do I already know this answer..........Politics? In my humble opinion with all the brilliant mines on this earth (not that they are in congress sadly) could we not come up with a solution. My heart breaks for all of God creatures that lost their lives the voiceless, we were given charge by God to take care of the animals I know he has to be so sad to see how we have failed.