The Atheists Conundrum

[tama]

91. Well

That is very Western (pseudo)individualistic view. And as Western psyche has entangled also indigenous etc. peoples in their globalized culture and nature relation, it seems justified to voice and share also indigenous views. In many indigenous views and experiences, mental disorder such as violent behavior towards self or others is not a problem of just that individual, but of whole community suffering from disorder.

Also Western psychology recognizes empathy and that it is a collective in-group phenomenon. When a member of in-group is suffering, also other members of the in-group feel that, and to cure that collective suffering they seek the cause of that suffering so that they can stop hurting, and offer compassion and nurture to ease social stress from empathy (and other factors). Same with Chimpanzees and other social animals, it's not just us human beings.

In-group emotional bonds usually go along with codependent way of life. Capitalistic technocratic globalization has made us all dependent from that system and victims of that system. What psychological factors, attachments and emotions, have driven capitalistic technocratic globalization? Compassion and nurture and globalized in-group empathy inclusive of all humans and sentient beings?

In my view that would be sane and healthy collective mental/psychological state of globally interdependent human (etc.) society. "What you do to least of us, you do to me" is just empirical fact of empathy without barriers.

Dear cbayer, do you now see that this is not about theories and ideologies of sociology, political science, philosophy, but most basic human social psychology. Divide and conquer, strict in-group borders up to Western ideal of totally closed "individual" of sociopath and psychopath, lack of empathy and compassion, and directing socio-psychological needs towards material possessions and consumerism.

And pride! The amount of foolish pride of how "superior" Western culture is.

Tell me again that we are not collectively insane.