Are You....

[Lady L]

a compassionate person..? I think this is a sincere question. :) And, I'd like to hear what others have to say...

I am probably over compassionate. BTW, in this question by compassionate I mean mostly are you compassionate for others..? Do you relate and feel for total strangers ( lets not bring racial differences up here please...) would you break your back to help someone or stand on the side lines and let others...of course if you do stand back that doesn't mean you are not compassionate.

I want everyone to answer...yes you! I would appreciate the men here as well...most definitely to answer. :)

[Ulf]

No.

:cool:

[Loki]

I'm a very compassionate person by nature. Sometimes to my own detriment.

[Birka]

Yes to people I know, somewhat to people I can relate to. Like if someone was denied a job to someone of "color", I will try and help that stranger if I could. I may not be always compassionate to all others, but I think the world could use a lot more courtesy.

When the US soldier was being court martialed because he would not serve a UN appointed blue beret general, I gave a little to his defense fund. Stuff like that, compassion for principle as much as for people.

[Rainraven]

This is something I'm working on as I know I have done selfish acts in the past and I want to make up for that. Restore the balance as such :)

In terms of people I feel compassion for... It is easier to feel compassion for those who have shown me compassion or are going through something that I myself have been through. I think this would be normal?

[Ulf]

No.

:cool:

If you haven't noticed, I'm an asshole. Despite this I don't know how my wife puts up with me. I have empathy for some people, but often I just don't care. However, I do try to help those people I have put some trust into and deem worthy of my help.

[Gooding]

Depends.I can be compassionate to those who deserve it and a grade A shithead to shitheads.I don't care about or for a whole lot of people, but I am a loyal friend and kinsman to those who are that way to me. I know what I know and I believe what I believe.Period.LOL, I suppose I could ascribe my attitude to my ancestors, but I see no reason to credit them with the experiences I've had during my life.:cool:

[Lady L]

This is something I'm working on as I know I have done selfish acts in the past and I want to make up for that. Restore the balance as such :)

In terms of people I feel compassion for... It is easier to feel compassion for those who have shown me compassion or are going through something that I myself have been through. I think this would be normal?

Sounds quite normal to me Rain :) I often times feel much compassion for stories I see of people's struggles and sorrow. Loss of children, loss of homes..etc ...these days our news is filled with sad stories of Americans suffering. It makes me feel compassionate for these people and at the same time it makes me feel better about my own situations. It reminds me how lucky me and my family are to have our little home...and each other.

[Lady L]

There's still plenty of you who have not answered ... :1099:

[SuuT]

a compassionate person..? I think this is a sincere question. :) And, I'd like to hear what others have to say...




I am. Very much so. However, I seem to have a 'switch' that I am able to turn off and on at will. As I tend to associate "compassion" with "pity", I do not feel obligated towards this emotion. I do, however, allow it to flow through me, in trust of when that 'x' factor of the Self says to do so.

[Lady L]

I am. Very much so. However, I seem to have a 'switch' that I am able to turn off and on at will. As I tend to associate "compassion" with "pity", I do not feel obligated towards this emotion. I do, however, allow it to flow through me, in trust of when that 'x' factor of the Self says to do so.

Interesting comparison there with compassion and pity. Also, being able to turn these emotions on or off can't hurt now can it ...:)

I however do not associate compassion and pity as being the same emotion. I feel as though to feel pity for someone is kinda to look down at them while feeling sorry for them at the same time. While feeling compassion I tend to relate to them/feel their pain ...

I pity a crack head ...I feel compassion for a mother of a deceased child.

:)

[SuuT]

"Empathy" "Sympathy" "Compassion" "Pity" eventually (for me) all become ingredients in the same stew.

[Fortis in Arduis]

Compassionate in an ideological sense, yes.

However, on a personal basis, I often fail, because I have a big hole where my empathy should be, although not always.

It often depends on whether I have had similar experiences to the other person or not.

[Vulpix]

I am. Very much so. However, I seem to have a 'switch' that I am able to turn off and on at will.

Same here about the "switch" :). Compassionate usually but with a switch ;).

[Absinthe]

Yes I am overly compassionate as well. Way too compassionate for my own good... I am ofter taken advantage of as a result of that :rolleyes2:

[Psychonaut]

I am not a generally compassionate person by nature. I'm particularly uncompassionate when I perceive a person's misery to be within their power to change. However, to those who have earned my respect, I make a conscious effort to empathize and assist where I can.

[Frigga]

I am a very compassionate person. I cry very easily at sad movies, and if I see someone who is in a bad situation, I feel a great deal of empathy. I have had to control those emotions though, as it is all too easy to try to fix everyone else, or spend so much energy stressing over someone else's problems, that you can forget about yourself, and by that, I mean, forgetting to take care of yourself. You can feel all the emotion in the world, but that doesn't mean that your emotions are able to change that person's situation for the better. In the end, the only person that you can change, whether for the good, or the bad, is really yourself. So, I've had to say in certain times, "That really sucks. But, there's nothing I can do to change it, and it's not my problem. But, I still feel bad about that happening." It's been a hard lesson to learn.

Except for people who got themselves into crappy situations, like junkies who are always being kicked out of their apartments, because they spend the rent money on heroin, or the like. And they come crawling to you, begging for money. Those I feel no empathy for.

[MarcvSS]

Yes to those I care for, no to those I hate/dislike...