discourse

[cellio]

When considering law and policy, the dominant factor should be what is just. When interacting with people, compassion should also be an important factor. The relative priorities of justice and compassion go a long way toward defining a political or philosophical position.

All that said, when discussing law and policy with people, things get complicated. I sometimes fail to give appropriate weight to compassion when expressing myself, even while holding a justice-dominant opinion. This is something I would like to improve in myself.

Comments

[sanpaku.livejournal.com]

Monica, the fact that you are able to say all that is why you're not the problem. Don't be hard on yourself. :-)

[cellio]

Thanks. I didn't mean for this to turn into egoboo-collecting, but I do appreciate the comment.

[alaricmacconnal.livejournal.com]

Hi There. I agree with sanpaku. You're very good at expressing where you stand and understanding other people's viewpoints. I enjoy the occasions when we've been able to talk about various topics at length ... you're patient with me when I ask for more details or don't understand what you're trying to say and you respect my views when they differ from yours and try to understand my viewpoint. Being able to do both is a skill I wish more people had :).

[cellio]

Thanks. I do strive to understand opposing views, even if I don't always communicate that well enough.

[zare-k.livejournal.com]

I sometimes fail to give appropriate weight to compassion
when expressing myself, even while holding a justice-dominant opinion.
This is something I would like to improve in myself.

Actually you're kind of a libertarian role model for me precisely because I think you do a good job of balancing justice with compassion.

[cellio]

Thanks. I try to pay attention, but I feel like I slip up more often than I'd really like. Life is full of learning opportunities.

[osewalrus.livejournal.com]

Assume this is based on the recent posting about the housing crisis.

Had actually written a long comment that got deleted, have hoped to do a post, but no time.

I do not think you lack compassion. But I do think you lack information. No shocker. The American people as a whole are abysmally informed about what is going on in the world and in the economy. A student of mine who travels frequently to Europe and Asia remarked to me only last night that it was not until he took my class (on media concentration) that he understood why we in the U.S. are not discussing the critical issues of our economy and appear undisturbed by how abysmal our economy has become relative to other developed countries.

I'm a total policy junkie and news hound, and I know only a fraction of what I need to know. I try to remind myself of that when I get on a roll and make very authoritative pronunciations. Doesn't always help, mind. I can be as certain and pig headed about stuff as anyone.

To paraphrase Lois McMaster Bujold, I think you are one of the people who has conquered the will to be stupid that drives so many other people. That's a vital accomplishment.

[cellio]

I see a long comment there timestamped a bit after this one. Was that the one you're referring to?

But I do think you lack information. No shocker.

Indeed. I try to learn what I can about the myriad of important things going on in the world; I have no illusions that I have full information about anything. I try to find reasonable sources in enough variety to smoke out the bogosities.

"Conquered the will to be stupid": I like that. Yeah, that's what I strive for. I can't be infinitely informed, but I can at least try to think, and seek.

[nsingman.livejournal.com]

Law, and related policy, are ultimately implemented through coercive means. Thus, justice must always be considered first, and that means primarily justice for those who would be the objects of that coercion. Compassion for individuals by other individuals can be a wonderful thing. However, implementing compassion as law and related policy often, and perhaps usually, means being generous with other people's money, or mandating or prohibiting actions by others for the sake of those for which one is compassionate. And that is a gross injustice.

By all means, express sympathy more often if you feel it tempers your argument and helps others understand (though I don't see how they couldn't) that you are far from heartless. And perhaps avoid heated words like "idiot" even when describing irresponsible behavior, which can make your argument seem more like vituperation. But please never lose sight of the fact that when affecting the law, compassion can be the royal road to oppression.

[cellio]

Oh don't worry; I'm not creeping toward socialism or suchlike. I give justice priority in the actual law/policy issues, for the reasons you noted. My focus here is in how I talk with people about these things, not core beliefs. I sometimes come across as heartless in cases where I don't mean to. (I used to say that one of my goals is to never unintentionally offend people. :-) )