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Well, one should be fair to other people, and if possible friendly, right? Turns out oneself is a person, too :) > I have expressed my strong interest in the mass of the people; and this is founded, not on their usefulness to the community, so much as on what they are in themselves. Indeed every man, in every condition, is great. It is only our own diseased sight which makes him little. A man is great as a man, be he where or what he may. The grandeur of his nature turns to insignificance all outward distinctions. -- William Ellery Channing I think that can be extended to more than humans, maybe everything. And hey, don't knock eureka moments, especially not your own! When I was 20 and late for work in the morning, I walked by a lawn with a bird on it who was looking for worms, and looked straight at me. I didn't think about it at all, but nodded and said good morning. Then I had to laugh at myself, then I thought about it, and I never quite saw animals the same way. Suddenly it seemed so obvious, of course they're persons. Not ones who speak my language or care about my salutations, but still. I feel similarly about plants, central nervous system or not. I mean, it's not like I could tell you what I mean with "person" to begin with, where the cutoff point is, but something changed and it felt and feels right. But compassion for animals and plants is easy, compassion for humans is trickier... and compassion* for oneself, that's the trickiest part, and as you said, the most often overlooked. It's like we understand just fine that we shouldn't dehumanize others, shouldn't hold grudges, not disappoint people or break promises, and so on, but simply affording ourselves that same respect and basic goodwill often eludes us, which we then compensate with all sorts of things which are far from both compassion and real confidence. * which is a great way to put it.. self-love just doesn't have the same ring of understanding, patience etc. to it; like "loving Justing Bieber" and "having compassion for Justin Bieber" are two completely unrelated things. |