Robert Wright encompassed many topics throughout his TED talk, detailing the various aspects of compassion from a secular viewpoint. Wright believes that the Golden Rule, or compassion, has been imbedded within human nature and their genes; this being said, he also believes that this natural compassion is selective to those that are closest to them. By this he means that all humans are capable of compassion, but it depends entirely upon their ability to put themselves in the other person's shoes and see their viewpoint. He also stresses the importance of a non-zero-summness*, a situation in which the outcome will equally effect two people. In today's society, the non-zero sum relationship has grown to a point at which people and nations have become dependent on one another. The Golden Rule is the basis of this relationship; do unto others, as you want others to do unto you. On the contrary, a zero-sum means that the situation will play out to have both a single winner and a single loser, meaning their outcome cancel one another out to reach zero. With less zero-sum and more non-zero sum relationships, people are in a way forced to expand their moral compass and realize the humanity within the world.
The talk itself was very scientifically based, which is nice for scientific people. To the typical person watching the talk, it seemed very monotonous and a little boring. His voice did not change very frequently, and he moved rather fast through his points. However, Wright was able to keep the viewer's attention by showing how humans work before moving into his topic of compassion. He narrated the evolution of people in relationship to compassion before he ever started its effects on people and relationships today. Once he moved into compassion and today's relationships, he highlighted certain aspects of which he found most important. Wright backed up his knowledge with the studies of human compassion and their affect on the world. He proved his points with distinct evidence that is both biologically accepted and socially evident. Wright was not the most warm and fuzzy through his talk, but his matter-of-fact attitude and sheer knowledge conveyed his message in an equally effective manner. In contrast to Sir Ken Robinson's TED Talk, Wright did not appear to have quite as much fun as Robinson. Wright was more stiff and rehearsed while Robinson looked as though he was perfectly at home on the stage and was able to relate more deeply to the audience.
Compassion allows humans to relate to one another deeply, like they are sharing pain or suffering. In society today, I find that compassion and moral imagination are extremely selective. Compassion and moral imagination allow people to experience the other person's point of view, which is immensely important in decision-making processes. This video has opened my eyes to how I respond to other's situations; not everything is about me every waking second of life. By seeing both sides of an argument, both parties can be equally satisfied by the outcome. It has been my recent challenge to try to place myself in the other person's shoes, even if I am heated about the subject at hand; in time, this will help me develop compassion in a true sense. It will also give me the ability to relate to others and I will be able to form new relationships. Within the world, these non-zero relationships have already reached new highs, but their influence on daily life is not stressed to the extent it should be. It is a lofty goal, but if more people were able to understand one another through compassion, then it would be easier to satisfy all people. If a person were able to understand another's problems, it would make for a more peaceful world, but as I said before: it is a lofty goal. Compassion is a fundamental of life, and, practiced in the right way, it could benefit many. Those being schooled need to understand the momentousness of compassion; through it they will find the ability to respect each other for their opinions and relate to their learning. It will help them to grow as people and learn in depth, but it still is a bit of a lofty goal, seeing that many students are driven by spur of the moment emotions and have rather thick skulls. If both the youth and adults of the world are able to connect with others, showing the slightest sign of compassion, the world will function more flowingly.
Robert Wright's view on the world, and what matters within it, is based upon the human ability to forget themselves for one measly moment and look from the other viewpoint. Humans must grow in moral compass and compassion, expanding upon what is genetically present in all human beings.
*See seventh paragraph
No comments:
Post a Comment