Comments on: The Quantity of Mercy http://www.tinkerx.com/2007/08/19/the-quantity-of-mercy/ A deluxe heap of broken images. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:16:48 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jen http://www.tinkerx.com/2007/08/19/the-quantity-of-mercy/#comment-24999 Jen Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:23:19 +0000 http://www.tinkerx.com/index.php/2007/08/19/the-quantity-of-mercy/#comment-24999 Bleh. I'm always really suspicious when you bring up your "2 + 2 = cupcake" theory (or, in this case, "1 + 1 = chocolate"). I don't think the Golden Rule is irrational. It's about thinking farther into the future than the present moment. Two days from now, two years from now, 200 hundred years from now -- whathaveyou. I think it's easier to understand why the concept that we tend to refer to as the Golden Rule (though it's universal throughout human religion and culture) is important if you live in a small, stable population. Like a tribe. Which makes sense because there are some social scientists who believe that we evolved such large brains *because* we developed communities -- our extra brain folds allow us to keep track of gifts and favors from neighbors and family members. Dolphins, whales and some of our closest apian relatives share similiar social structures and maintain large extended families over time. Which is interesting, because that means we're capable because we're complex and we're complex because we're built to develop intense, tightly woven *emotional* networks. And it really doesn't take that much extra brain-girth to figure out that if you seriously piss off your neighbor or your brother-in-law and he's 1 of the mere 15 or 50 people you know, that you may live to regret your short-term idiocy when you really, really need a bit of help and your brother-in-law is the one person you absolutely need it from -- the only one, say, with the skills to carve the widget from the soapwood that you can only get from the high mountain your neighbor grew up on. It's only when we develop large, expansive populations (like cities) that we develop the estrangement (and from thence the social apathy) that allows us to forget *why* the Golden Rule is important. If 90% of the people you encounter will never play a stable, significant role in your life, why would you treat them with consideration or kindness? Especially if inconsideration and cruelty get you immediate short term results. I think this is compounded by the manic aggressiveness of our particular culture. Which is why I find the opening quote in this post to be truly ironic. What does the Golden Rule have to do with "getting things done"? In all reality, I think the Golden Rule is more about intentionally developing the sort of relationships that might allow us to live truly satisfying, stable happy lives right here and right now. Sure, maybe we can flip more burgers or move more product or make more cold calls when we've developed the sort of team mentality that comes along with building up healthy relationships in a group, but I think that, just as often, the Golden Rule and Mercy have a lot to do with letting personal agendas go in order to develop something much more important, and much more long term. Bleh. I’m always really suspicious when you bring up your “2 + 2 = cupcake” theory (or, in this case, “1 + 1 = chocolate”). I don’t think the Golden Rule is irrational. It’s about thinking farther into the future than the present moment. Two days from now, two years from now, 200 hundred years from now — whathaveyou.

I think it’s easier to understand why the concept that we tend to refer to as the Golden Rule (though it’s universal throughout human religion and culture) is important if you live in a small, stable population. Like a tribe.

Which makes sense because there are some social scientists who believe that we evolved such large brains *because* we developed communities — our extra brain folds allow us to keep track of gifts and favors from neighbors and family members. Dolphins, whales and some of our closest apian relatives share similiar social structures and maintain large extended families over time.

Which is interesting, because that means we’re capable because we’re complex and we’re complex because we’re built to develop intense, tightly woven *emotional* networks.

And it really doesn’t take that much extra brain-girth to figure out that if you seriously piss off your neighbor or your brother-in-law and he’s 1 of the mere 15 or 50 people you know, that you may live to regret your short-term idiocy when you really, really need a bit of help and your brother-in-law is the one person you absolutely need it from — the only one, say, with the skills to carve the widget from the soapwood that you can only get from the high mountain your neighbor grew up on.

It’s only when we develop large, expansive populations (like cities) that we develop the estrangement (and from thence the social apathy) that allows us to forget *why* the Golden Rule is important. If 90% of the people you encounter will never play a stable, significant role in your life, why would you treat them with consideration or kindness? Especially if inconsideration and cruelty get you immediate short term results.

I think this is compounded by the manic aggressiveness of our particular culture. Which is why I find the opening quote in this post to be truly ironic. What does the Golden Rule have to do with “getting things done”? In all reality, I think the Golden Rule is more about intentionally developing the sort of relationships that might allow us to live truly satisfying, stable happy lives right here and right now. Sure, maybe we can flip more burgers or move more product or make more cold calls when we’ve developed the sort of team mentality that comes along with building up healthy relationships in a group, but I think that, just as often, the Golden Rule and Mercy have a lot to do with letting personal agendas go in order to develop something much more important, and much more long term.

]]> By: Michael Chui http://www.tinkerx.com/2007/08/19/the-quantity-of-mercy/#comment-24951 Michael Chui Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:51:38 +0000 http://www.tinkerx.com/index.php/2007/08/19/the-quantity-of-mercy/#comment-24951 If you're flipping philosophy burgers, then I'll put some chicken on the grill myself. Take a look at this thing I wrote last year, about this time: http://www.aqualgidus.org/love.html Especially take note of the section on compassion. It gets a bit deep... and I know it's not the easiest thing to understand. So, as a second illustration, I want to point out Bob Thurman's TED talk, who I feel does an extraordinary job in explaining the very same thing: http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/119 There's a transcript available if you click through to the blog. If you’re flipping philosophy burgers, then I’ll put some chicken on the grill myself.

Take a look at this thing I wrote last year, about this time: http://www.aqualgidus.org/love.html

Especially take note of the section on compassion. It gets a bit deep… and I know it’s not the easiest thing to understand. So, as a second illustration, I want to point out Bob Thurman’s TED talk, who I feel does an extraordinary job in explaining the very same thing:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/119

There’s a transcript available if you click through to the blog.

]]>