RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
September 10, 2019 at 1:11 am
(This post was last modified: September 10, 2019 at 1:14 am by Belacqua.)
(September 10, 2019 at 12:39 am)Macoleco Wrote: What are your thoughts? Did you experience changes during your early adulthood?
When I was a kid I was sheltered from all this. I was in a tiny town in the US midwest, and it was just very calm. I never experienced bullying in the schools (though there was a great deal I could have been bullied for), I never experienced gun violence or drug problems. No doubt some people had to keep very quiet, but it was well known that my high school English teacher was gay, yet neither the school nor his church had any problem with him.
That's all changed. The town has a big meth problem now, the old guard pro-business Republican leadership has been replaced with wacko Christians. The whole place looks run down and third-worldish.
I moved to Japan in 1988 and I've never regretted it.
On the one hand, I think that people are likely to be selfish and treat each other horribly. On the other hand, I think that society can be arranged so as to either encourage or discourage this. Capitalism, by rewarding selfishness, may bring out the worst in people, and even trick us into thinking that a selfishness-based society is all we can hope for. I'm not convinced that's true. Society might be set up to encourage cooperation, so that at least the worst examples of self-centeredness would be frowned on.
One thing that strikes me after being in Japan so long: America has a tendency to value a kind of macho-man Clint Eastwood approach. Even discussions about metaphysics on this forum are conducted as warfare, with attempts to defeat one's opponents, and tough-guy talk.
(September 10, 2019 at 1:06 am)Macoleco Wrote: I knew someone was going to say this lol.
I am well aware there will always be conflict, but the lifestyle from one place to another can change how you feel dramatically.
I think that Japan is far better in this regard.
Only the Yakuza have the tough-guy attitude that you can see everywhere in America these days. And the Yakuza doesn't bother you unless you're in a rival gang.
Last year the typhoon blew down a huge retaining wall behind my house, and rebuilding it took months. The construction guys were so sweet, it amazed me.
