Compassion - the conversation continues...

In some ways, technology and compassion seem opposed (the internet has enabled “instant judgment”) and people don’t always think before they write, but in other ways, it is a vehicle for compassion, a window onto the world of other’s suffering and a shared platform to bring people together

Compassion is...
...looking for a common denominator
...about listening and hearing what someone is saying or feeling, not assuming
...putting yourself in someone else’s shoes

Compassion is also contagious – when someone is compassionate with you, you want to be compassionate with others, you look for something nice to do, you pass it on. It’s also an energy (ref. The concentric circles as per Confucious) - you have to be in the right space to be compassionate – you have to be a little fearless.

Compassion takes courage – and it forces us to look at things differently.

You can only be compassionate if you take down your armour / your layers of protection. Walls prohibit compassion, but a wall can’t go on forever. There is always a way to find compassion in yourself and in others.

The word 'compassion' comes from the Latin word for suffering.. With ‘com’ it means “suffering together”

When we are most compassionate, we are operating from our best selves...
...we are able to find what is good in other people

When we lack (or lose) compassion...
...is often when we are not sufficiently close to the subject of our compassion (e.g. The media is like this)

Often, we lose our compassion in business – this is a place where compassion hardly exists

How do we decide the parameters of compassion? When someone is in trouble and they ask for help is it OK to help them even if it means giving them drugs or razor blades?
How do we decide on when tough love is compassionate?
The media isn’t compassionate and cultivates gossiping, judgements, black and white storytelling to sensationalise and polarise our world.
Compassion is based on 'the golden rule', treat others as you, yourself would like to be treated.

Watch/read about compassion

Movies / Books / Plays that were mentioned.
Happy Go Lucky
Pay it Forward
Evan Almighty
Great Expectations
Les Miserables

What can we do about it?
We can be mindful of ways to be compassionate in everyday life, driving, in queues, in the street. Everyday acts of kindness to be made every day.
Do it individually, be compassionate with others!
Take these three questions to the next gathering of people we are at and discuss, bring it up in conversation, avoid gossip and judgements.
Pass the thinking on to our children by example.

Karen Armstrong's short video piece is here and worth spreading