#non-agression

When empathy collides with anger it becomes a powerful, raging force, and not for the better. It's partial. It separates people into "us vs. them." This type of empathy still makes distinctions willingly seeing anyone not of our favored group as the enemy. We turn away from acts of violence that we would otherwise disapprove of.

This experience of empathy lacks understanding. Where understanding is present it disregards it in favor of our preferred narratives. When we are operating in this way we might find certain acts of violence acceptable, unless it is aimed at us. A mutually beneficial society that promotes human flourishing will not occur.

Empathy is a human emotion, but it's not compassion. Empathy is not a great moral guide if we are still in love with Madame Guillotine. We are allowed to defend ourselves, That is ethically acceptable. We should be operating from a principle of non-aggression first and foremost. This is the solid foundation that compassion can be built upon.

What we need in our lives is compassion rather than mere empathy. Empathy is necessary and we all know stories about people who have little to none. Fortunately, the majority of us do have empathy. We genuinely care about other people. We just care about us more. Eventually, we add others into our regard in increasing circles of awareness, although we have hard limits to how wide we let these circles grow. Human beings are conditional beings. Unconditional love and compassion can only be approximated at best. Although, we can and should stretch ourselves as far as possible toward this goal.

I will offer two quotes from Golda Meir, that both Jews and Palestinians need to contemplate. I offer them not as a preference for Israel over Palestine, but as wise words that both sides must commit to.

The first is not a direct quote, but a paraphrase of words attributed to Golda Meir:

"You cannot negotiate peace with someone who has come to kill you,

The second one is:

‘Nonagression is a product of awakened realization. When you awake during the day from sleep, you just go about your everyday life, because awake and asleep are different. You don’t feel inhibited because you are not sleeping. Similarly, nonagression doesn’t mean there is a regulation or cutting down of anything. It is an organic process rather than a discipline or moral binding. Nonagression is seeing through the aggression and realizing there are more ways to be active and efficient than being aggressive; it is realizing a new angle of energy.’