Why are many people growing less and less compassionate towards other people ???

Answer 1

It may be just too much work to be considerate

Answer 2

There is less community interaction since the 40's, and some sociologists oint to the construction of houses to illustrate this. Prior to 1940, most houses had larger front yards with porches facing the street, and folks congregated there - neighbors saw and were seen by neighbors. Then TV became popular and people moved indoors to watch, first in community groups because not every family had a TV, then the groups got smaller as TVs became more affordable. Front porch activity moved to the (fenced) back yard in good weather, which also shut "others" out.
We are increasingly more individualized in our exposure to entertainment of various kinds, so less and less is "shared" experience, and without that there can be no true compassion.

Answer 3

I think a lot of it has to do with our mobile society and the breakdown of the extended family. When our society was more agrarian, people lived in the same place for generations and there were usually several generations living under one roof. They learned to get along and cooperate in order to put food on the table.

In today's world, many people move every few years and never get to know their neighbors. Their coworkers are simply people they have to put up with; they are of no particular importance unless they get in the way, in which case they are an obstacle to be removed by any means necessary.

Add to that divorce and blended families, and you have a recipe for alienation.

Answer 4

It’s a question of perspective. One just need to study history a bit to realise that it’s quite the contrary, the world and its people are not growing less compassionate, but more compassionate.

Not long ago beating a kid was supposed to be socially accepted tool to teach him or her to behave or reinforce behaviour in a given way, teachers and parents alike had the right to do so. Same was done with women. A man was owner of wife and children (some also had slaves), he had the right and was encouraged to use violence on them, hence the rule of thumb, expression that we still use today, not knowing its origin, a man could beat, wife, kids or slaves if any, with whatever as long as it was not any bigger than his thumb.

Of course, if one has the right to use physical violence on people, he had the right to be abusing in all ways imaginable. And if one had such objectifying rights over his loved ones, the most important people in his life, what about the rest of the world? And so we have learned with the blessed printed word, of how human beings have been behaving savagely with one another.

The days we live in now a far better than even not too long ago; we may have the impression that we are less compassionate today probably only because we are far more aware of compassion itself. We care for our sick far better than in the past (research, treatment, care, and care facilities not to mention moral support), we care for our children like it has not been seen in the past (they are treated respectfully, educated so much better, protected by the state and by law, not to mention adored more then ever), we care for the elderly like they’ve never experienced before. We care about neighbouring nations and its people like never in human history, lending money, developing programs to help with health and education, protecting them against invasions etc… like it’s never been done in the past. And we care for ourselves more than it’s ever been seen either, as nations, in educating ourselves, in preventing pollution, in correcting polluted areas, in finding protection and treatments against health problems, and it’s a constant effort that is put into making everything and everyone better.

In no other times then ours has there ever been a level of moral consciousness as what we know and experience today. As I said earlier, it’s only an impression that we have that there is less compassion today, most probably because we are simply more aware of the suffering around us.

Answer 5

People no longer have the time or the energy it takes to be compassionate. There are just too many demands on people's time and resources today.

Answer 6

Many people are too busy going through work, school, kids schedules,and what not that they do not have time to just love themselves or enjoy being a live. Compassion comes from our internal passion to give life. If we're drained we can't tap into that passion and that is why compassion is hard for lots of people.

Answer 7

I think that it has a great deal to do with how this society is treating everyone presently.It seems as though we have turned into a "dog eat dog" kind of system.I think that this government and big business are largely to blame.If everyone doesn't see this,then it will keep getting worse until we enter into a total police state,etc.

Answer 8

This, my friend, is the number one question.
Why is there so much hate?

I guess because the opposite of God.
That's my best guess.

I really would like to know the answer to this one myself.

Why are there so many Grinches?

Why do people enjoy watching others suffer?

I do not know...

Peace.

Answer 9

Its a vicuous cycle. People learn throughout their lives that they can only truely count on themselves, and therefore they are always looking out for "#1" or whatever. The world can be a cruel place and if you open your heart to others you make yourself vulnerable. its a shame.

Answer 10

sadly its a dog eat dog world