(September 10, 2019 at 8:03 am)no one Wrote: Humans suck! That's all there is to it.
I agree that we can count on people to do their worst.
Fukushima Daiichi was so incredibly bad that it's hard to grok. And the Japanese government has dealt with it largely by making it illegal to report on it.
Still, I think that in terms of our day-to-day lives, there are differences. Habits, fashions, institutions, propaganda, things held up as good examples -- all these can make a real difference in how the people we meet treat us every day. It can make the difference between constant aggression and rudeness that makes you want to die, and soft reinforcement that leaves you with a good impression.
There are times and places where it's considered good to show one's lack of empathy -- to shout out one's judgment of whomever you see in the street. And there are other places where people register any differences they have in more courteous ways, or just don't feel the need to let everybody know. It makes a difference after a while.