The Merriam-Webster Unabridged definition of compassion is: Main Entry: 1com·pas·sion Pronunciation Guide Pronunciation: kschwamprimarystresspashschwan, -aash-, -aish- Function: noun Inflected Form(s): -s Etymology: Middle English compassioun, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French compassion, from Late Latin compassion-, compassio, from compassus (past participle of compati to have compassion, from Latin com- + pati to bear, suffer) + -ion-, -io -ion -- more at PATIENT : deep feeling for and understanding of misery or suffering and the concomitant desire to promote its alleviation : spiritual consciousness of the personal tragedy of another or others and selfless tenderness directed toward it <to have compassion on a person> <with compassion (so different from pity) she shows the sordid impact of this convict settlement on the lives of the natives -- Sarah Campion> synonym see SYMPATHY
Looks like I have to go with Francis on this one, Slip. Compassion is the feeling or understanding. If we act on that, it is an act of compassion. Like an act of love, it is not the love itself, but an action based on the feeling of love. As a sidebar, anyone can post crap to Wikipedia, and I don't really use that as a credible source, although I do check it from time to time just to get a lead on what might be a real credible source. It seems to me that this woman's action was based more on her need to belong to a group whose cause is more compassionate treatment of animals and other creatures, than any real compassion or act of compassion for the creature itself. Getting publicity for the group by this kind of grandstanding is good for the group's promotion! Important, when your cause is positioned against something. Whether or not we can actually alleviate another's suffering is different question. We can certainly establish the physical conditions to promote alleviation, but ultimately, it is up to each individual to access, accept, allow or assimilate the conditions. This is why our compassion stops at our desire, and often breaks our own heart when it is not enough. Conversely, we cannot empower another. We can create the conditions optimal for a person to empower themselves, but ultimately it is up to each of us alone to choose to utilize the conditions that will empower us. On Jan 13, 6:54 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > Compassion is a profound human emotion prompted by the pain of others. > More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an > "active desire to alleviate another's suffering."<< wikipedia first > sentence. > > It does go on to say>It is often, though not inevitably, the key > component in what manifests in the social context as altruism. > In "ethical" terms, the various expressions down the ages of the so- > called Golden Rule embody by implication the principle of compassion: > Do to others as you would have done to you. Ranked a great virtue in > numerous philosophies, compassion is considered in all the major > religious traditions as among the greatest of virtues. > > There are after that there are several Different Traditions > representing the Different "Religious and Spiritual Views of "What > Compassion IS to Them". > All this does not invalidate my post of what compassion is as said in > the first sentence "active desire to alleviate another's suffering. > Obviously there are many components and levels to compassion. "You > say compassion is deep awareness of the suffering of another". Well > that precedes all else, Of Course we have to have an awareness of > others suffering before we can experience the "Emotion of Compassion", > that goes without saying. It is all much the same except the words > are different, basic semantics. I think you are just overly nit > picking at the terminology. > Again I would say that compassion IS alleviating someones pain or > suffering (after the awareness of it), mental or physical, through > some action, interaction, or intervention. > Awareness precedes everything that we are to have a reaction to. > Without the awareness we can't react. > > On Jan 13, 2:03 pm, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On 13 Jan., 20:49, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > Compassion definitively infers the alleviation of > > > > pain or suffering, mental or physical, through some type of > > > interaction or intervention and I would think that compassion is a > > > valuable asset to all of humanity. > > > The problem is, Slip, that this is NOT what compassion is - compassion > > is deep awareness of the suffering of another, literally, "feeling > > with ..."http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/compassionTheproblem in > > George's case, it seems to me, is that the practical reaction to > > compassion about his situation was not particularly well thought > > through. A particularly useless "beau geste." > > > Francis --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
