2006-07-09 07:10:14 · 9 answers · asked by littlemamajo 2 in News & Events ➔ Current Events
It is a complex interplay between life experience (learned) and temperament (innate).
When an infant is born and begins to experience the world it begins to determine if the world is a safe and nurturing place, or an uncomfortable scary place. A "sociopath" can be formed when the infant's needs are not met. A baby who is badly treated will learn that the world is a bad place and cannot be trusted. A well cared for baby will usually explore the world with curiosity and trust.
Take these two children and put them on the school playground.
Each falls down and scrapes a knee. Does someone help them? Does someone laugh at them? How does the child react to this?
They see a child get knocked down by a bully. How do they react?
You may think that the poorly cared for child would not have compassion and the happy child would be concerned, but that is not how it works. A happy child who has never experienced bullying or bad treatment may have no compassion. The sad child may well have compassion.
The difference is who the person identifies with. If either child identifies with the "powerful" bully, they will show no compassion. If either child identifies with the victim they will be compassionate.
You can "teach" compassion if you can help someone to identify with the victim, feel the pain. You can "teach" bullying if you make the bad guy appear powerful or rewarded for the behavior.
Finally, the ability to feel compassion is dependent on the experience of being the victim, either directly or through observation. The experience of injustice is important in the development of compassion.
2006-07-09 09:02:23 · answer #1 · answered by acornfullfilled 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I think it is a combination of both. For some people, the urge toward sympathy, empathy, and compassion is almost instinctual. That urge can be further nurtured and developed. Other people have the ability to be taught compassion and sympathy while yet some others have no notion of this what so ever. We call those people Sociopaths. No amount of behavioral conditioning can instill a conscience.
2006-07-09 07:18:57 · answer #2 · answered by rhymeweaver 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is Innate but has to be discovered and nurtured
Sogyal Rinpoche:
...when we finally know we are dying, and all other sentient beings are dying with us, we start to have a burning, almost heartbreaking sense of the fragility and preciousness of each moment and each being, and from this can grow a deep, clear, limitless compassion for all beings.
2006-07-09 08:53:22 · answer #3 · answered by a13 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you don't have it in your heart, you will need to watch other for it. If you don't feel it by watching and want a piece of the compassion action because it makes you feel good - then you simply don't get it.
2006-07-09 08:17:53 · answer #4 · answered by north_westner 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A little of both. There is some amount of evidence that says that the mammal's capacity of compassion is its evolutionary advantage.
2006-07-09 08:20:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
LEARNED! Have you ever seen little kids on the playground? They are little mercenaries!
2006-07-09 07:12:45 · answer #6 · answered by petlover 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with rymeweaver its a bit of both.
2006-07-09 08:18:22 · answer #7 · answered by PSG_30127 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is learned.
2006-07-09 07:43:08 · answer #8 · answered by mdel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is learned.
2006-07-09 07:13:55 · answer #9 · answered by sugar-n-spice 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋