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Whisp

(24,096 posts)
4. This is what Joseph Campbell speaks of here:
Sun Nov 3, 2013, 02:13 PM
Nov 2013

“The great German philosopher Schopenhauer, in a magnificent essay on 'The Foundation of Morality,' treats of this transcendental spiritual experience. How is it, he asks, that an individual can so forget himself and his own safety that he will put himself and his life in jeopardy to save another from death or pain—as though that other’s life were his own, that other’s danger his own? Such a one is then acting, Schopenhauer answers, out of an instinctive recognition of the truth that he and that other in fact are one. He has been moved not from the lesser, secondary knowledge of himself as separate from others, but from an immediate experience of the greater, truer truth, that we are all one in the ground of our being. Schopenhauer’s name for this motivation is “compassion,” Mitleid, and he identifies it as the one and only inspiration of inherently moral action. It is founded, in his view, in a metaphysically valid insight. For a moment one is selfless, boundless, without ego."

Excerpt From: Joseph Campbell, “Myths to Live By.” Joseph Campbell Foundation, 2011-03-11. iBooks.

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Although he is speaking here more of rescue workers, police, people that are put in physical danger helping others. Still has application here too tho.

Recommendations

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you forgot a d. The word is supposeD. Electric Monk Nov 2013 #1
Who cares. We got the message. n/t RebelOne Nov 2013 #20
The punctuation you were grasping for there was a question mark (?), not a period (.). Electric Monk Nov 2013 #23
This is who we were meant to be. onestepforward Nov 2013 #2
What a beautiful soul! People like this gentleman give me hope for humankind! Liberal In Red State Nov 2013 #3
Yep. nt RiffRandell Nov 2013 #9
This is what Joseph Campbell speaks of here: Whisp Nov 2013 #4
excellent whisp. thank you. nt seabeyond Nov 2013 #11
To save a life is to save the world entire...from the movie Schindler's List. CaliforniaPeggy Nov 2013 #5
And she was there for him. Let's hope this twining takes them both through hard times. nolabear Nov 2013 #6
Thank you seabeyond... ScreamingMeemie Nov 2013 #7
Awesome! Thucydides Nov 2013 #8
Send me an angel R B Garr Nov 2013 #10
true that rb... nt seabeyond Nov 2013 #12
What a wonderful and great human being. Whisp Nov 2013 #13
Much love to a good man. I hope she gets the help she needs. Good vibes to both. SaveOurDemocracy Nov 2013 #14
People slip into a dream state a lot.... Spitfire of ATJ Nov 2013 #15
when you're the one, you gotta do the right thing BlancheSplanchnik Nov 2013 #16
Beautiful heart BrotherIvan Nov 2013 #17
Great Sea, thanks for posting kcr Nov 2013 #18
Beautiful. 99Forever Nov 2013 #19
Beautiful seabeyond, sheshe2 Nov 2013 #21
thanking Mr. Barton Skittles Nov 2013 #22
Wow! JNelson6563 Nov 2013 #24
There's hope for us yet. marble falls Nov 2013 #25
What a mood-lifting story! JohnnyLib2 Nov 2013 #26
Huge K&R Iwillnevergiveup Nov 2013 #27
Wonderful !! When people look out for people. Historic NY Nov 2013 #28
Yes it sure is. Wow. What a hero. tblue Nov 2013 #29
A friend posted this on his Facebook wall. Lizzie Poppet Nov 2013 #30
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