General Discussion

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts) Fri Dec 13, 2013, 01:45 AM Dec 2013

I've encountered homophobes, misogynists, sexists, and people who don't care about animals. [View all]

And I think these characteristics are found in together in people and not often in isolation;

If a person is a sexist, they're likely also a homophobe and don't care about how animals are treated in the food industry.

If a person is homophobic, they probably don't give a shit about animals and are likely to be racist, too.

I'm speaking from experience here, I have a cousin who has killed dogs, uses the "n" word, even today, and has hit his wives and girlfriends.

Enlightened people aren't this way.

Enlightened people respect and see value in every living thing and they have empathy for every suffering creature.

Am I crazy, or am I right about this?

91 replies

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I've encountered homophobes, misogynists, sexists, and people who don't care about animals. [View all] NYC_SKP Dec 2013 OP

I tend to agree 1000words Dec 2013 #1

You are mostly correct. Agschmid Dec 2013 #2

My dear NYC_SKP... CaliforniaPeggy Dec 2013 #3

Hi Peggy! NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #5

One thing we do know... ReRe Dec 2013 #24

Yes, I think this is true. His brother was also an odd bird. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #36

very few people are completely enlightened. Even liberals suffer from flaws such as liberal_at_heart Dec 2013 #4

I'd settle for moderately civilized and somewhat empathetic. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #7

The idea of interlocking oppressions is a powerful concept. LeftyMom Dec 2013 #6

Those things tend to be part of the same dysfunction ismnotwasm Dec 2013 #8

+1 freshwest Dec 2013 #19

No, you're not crazy. silverweb Dec 2013 #9

I think Christian religion can cause a person to Pretzel_Warrior Dec 2013 #10

But, don't you think that insisting that a woman Squinch Dec 2013 #82

I dunno but, it seems to describe the Cha Dec 2013 #11

I think that is far too simplistic LittleBlue Dec 2013 #12

I was speaking to liklihoods, not absolutes. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #13

overt bigotry probably has some underlying factors (low iq, lack of empathy etc) La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2013 #14

I agree that there are shades, subtle forms of prejudice that each of us bear. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #16

i study prejudice. it's my area of expertise, hence the randomly pedantic answers La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2013 #50

I love that about you, LOL. bettyellen Dec 2013 #51

that i am randomly pedantic? cos that is a very odd thing to love about me La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2013 #52

for me, it's the odd things that push it from "really like" to "will always love" bettyellen Dec 2013 #53

when are you in town? we should really get a drink soon La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2013 #54

I am always in town lady, and yes we shall. you should give a shout out to Swag and wife... bettyellen Dec 2013 #56

To be honest, I think it varies BootinUp Dec 2013 #15

you are right. and anyone tells you different, well seabeyond Dec 2013 #17

Perfect! NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #20

No, not crazy, doing just fine, conscious and aware of what's going on. Enlightened. Even if... n/t freshwest Dec 2013 #18

I agree. Bonobo Dec 2013 #21

Many of the battles are over details. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #22

I am shocked no one here thought this issue insulted all 6 year old boys... it never fails bettyellen Dec 2013 #55

Or people think you're anti-sex because you have reservations about the porn industry's nomorenomore08 Dec 2013 #38

That's very true, I give you that. Bonobo Dec 2013 #40

Thanks for the positive words. And I agree that both "sides" have been guilty of caricaturing nomorenomore08 Dec 2013 #44

I wouldn't put the animal thing in with the others. Deep13 Dec 2013 #23

Since the suffering of these animals is brought about by humans BrotherIvan Dec 2013 #27

Well said. DLevine Dec 2013 #33

That is so low BrotherIvan Dec 2013 #64

Empathy and pity for the suffering of animals sammythecat Dec 2013 #34

What you said! BrotherIvan Dec 2013 #62

There's a lot of truth in this, but there are exceptions... nikto Dec 2013 #25

Wow, Donald Pleasence kept an iron grip on that scared cat siligut Dec 2013 #60

When your... DirtyDawg Dec 2013 #26

I think enlightenment is more like a path than a light switch hfojvt Dec 2013 #28

Maybe he's weary of stupidity and cruelty? I know I am, nowadays... nomorenomore08 Dec 2013 #35

Very well said. HappyMe Dec 2013 #45

There is a person for every niche. quaker bill Dec 2013 #29

"it's always bad to generalize" rucky Dec 2013 #32

I agree with you. Spot on. nt DLevine Dec 2013 #30

Sometimes people have blind spots rucky Dec 2013 #31

Maybe, but its still better to get to know unique individuals rather than to generalize IronLionZion Dec 2013 #37

That is a very broad brush. Skidmore Dec 2013 #39

Ha, I just posted that it may be a lack of empathy and missed that in your post. LisaLynne Dec 2013 #42

Not always found together, just more likely to find more than one in the same soul. nt NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #43

It is a broad brush but Squinch Dec 2013 #83

I think that can be true. LisaLynne Dec 2013 #41

I agree with you wholeheartedly life long demo Dec 2013 #46

K&R! And many of these same people are happily uninformed Enthusiast Dec 2013 #47

Glad you mentioned Dubya. If you dig, you will find that when he was a baby vanlassie Dec 2013 #49

That's sad. Enthusiast Dec 2013 #65

People as things el_bryanto Dec 2013 #48

Not completely treestar Dec 2013 #57

I agree, actually. Vashta Nerada Dec 2013 #58

What it boils down to is a complete and utter lack of empathy. alarimer Dec 2013 #59

Empathy only exists in highly evolved people... polichick Dec 2013 #61

Lack of empathy is the hallmark of sociopathy. vanlassie Dec 2013 #66

Such an interesting topic - one book I really like on this is... polichick Dec 2013 #67

Have not read that one. Learned a lot from vanlassie Dec 2013 #70

Those look good too. I read Miller's Drama of the Gifted Child... polichick Dec 2013 #73

I'd agree it's hallmark of sociopathy, but not that it's largely preventable polly7 Dec 2013 #84

Failure to form empathy is hormone driven in early years. vanlassie Dec 2013 #87

I agree mainly, however, when it comes to animals, sometimes the most bigoted people joeybee12 Dec 2013 #63

I've observed some who care about animals BainsBane Dec 2013 #68

Sickening, isn't it? Hitler loved dogs, someone said.... NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #69

Alice Miller talks about Hitler's childhood... Want to guess how that went? vanlassie Dec 2013 #71

Now I'm going to have to look that up. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #72

Personal experiences aren't always the best indicators Packerowner740 Dec 2013 #74

It is impossible for a fiercely rightwing Conservative to be enlightened nikto Dec 2013 #75

I don't think that's been my experience RFKHumphreyObama Dec 2013 #76

Respectfully, the notion isn't that all features present in the same subject... NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #77

I personally know a few extreme bigots who love thier pets. idwiyo Dec 2013 #78

I think that's a rather shallow assessment, honestly. Spider Jerusalem Dec 2013 #79

While not all people who like animals OwnedByCats Dec 2013 #80

I don't trust anyone who has no empathy for animals. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2013 #85

Oh me too, can't have any trust for those people OwnedByCats Dec 2013 #90

I'm exactly the same way. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2013 #91

You are so right. Vattel Dec 2013 #81

This message was self-deleted by its author lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #86

I have seen conservatives who love dogs and liberals who are deeply ambivalent toward kids. lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #88

Conservatives aren't in the equation. There are plenty of liberal bigots. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #89