[zzzeek]

you can have compassion for an enemy and still defend yourself against them, just like you can run from an earthquake and not have hatred towards it. As you said, everything arises from an interdependent network of causality. that means everything that is, is what is. western materialism, buddhist wisdom, it all exists. to truly overcome the notion of "self" is to accept all of this. there is nothing "wrong" with any of it any more than there's something "wrong" with any other natural activities like earthquakes, planets crashing into each other, supernovas, owls eating little mice, you name it, and of course, our egos, as paradoxically nonexistent as they are are from this network of causality too. the whole thing is all one as are all of us. We can decrease our suffering by meditating on this truth. but it doesnt mean our physical manifestations need to be stupid.

[bingobongo1]

You're the only one calling anything stupid, I simply pointed out how selfishness arises from a well-known and well-developed perspective on the human mind (and how it interfaces with reality) and pointed to some contemporary discussions (with scientists) on the nature of compassion and how it has the potential to bring people together in a world that is struggling with divisiveness as it faces one collective struggle after another.

The book I recommended is particularly insightful as it probes into how a society such as South Africa can move forward after such heinous human rights violations as the apartheid era through forgiveness and compassion instead of revenge and retribution.

[zzzeek]

I'm all for forgiveness and compassion but I feel that people who are tremendous threats to society should be prevented from participating further.

Example, Jared Kushner's efforts to commit genocide, purposely sabotaging efforts to send coronavirus relief to so-called "blue" states, sending thousands of people to their deaths for perceived political gain. This person should not be free to roam about in our society as he is a threat to public safety. There is no need for "revenge" or "retribution" only that public safety be preserved by preventing mass murderers from participating.

[bingobongo1]

No doubt. Threats, threatening people, and threatening regimes exist and I'm certainly not advocating for a lack of justice and ethics.

It would help if society at various levels became less divisive, that's all. That certainly involves moving beyond the us vs them mentality in a lot of different ways, which takes emotional development starting at the level of the individual.

I can tell that you feel very strongly about the ongoing political situation, but there are of course many other contexts.