"Bliss" and "compassion" are interpreted as signs of weakness to the conservative mindset
A common misconception by liberals is that conservatives lack compassion when the truth is that we disagree on what a compassionate response should be. For example I have compassion for my adult daughter when she doesn't manage her monthly finances well and ends up short at the end of the month. But I don't think the compassionate response is to bail her out (even though I can and even though it hurts me not to). Without getting into all the intricacies of our governments entitlement programs, conservatives in general believe that a lot of these programs don't represent the correct compassionate response.
Techno_bull: Completely agree with you. Each of us need to make a judgment on what the appropriate response in any situation should be. Not bailing out your daughter may be the compassionate response since it could make her more responsible to take care of herself well into the future.
The litmus test is this: In any situation, are you working towards an outcome that is beneficial to all involved? If the answer is yes, then it is the correct response.
Now extend this to your daughter's friend, extended family relative, a friend, or a total stranger. We are there!
Typically, we don't extend such magnanimity to strangers because we have already classified them as "unworthy". Such judgment is meaningless until, as the saying goes, "we walk a mile in their shoes". Since we can't walk a mile in their shoes, we shouldn't leap to make the judgment that they are unworthy of any help.
Even if one doesn't help, they could just have some empathy. Sometimes, I think we treat our dogs and cats better than fellow human beings!
I don't want to get into the tired liberal/conservative debates...they are completely counter-productive. Yes, government is inefficient...and so are a lot of businesses and corporations. But just like democracy, it is the best for lack of any good alternatives. Anyone want to go back to living in a very efficient monarchy where the king or queen have unlimited powers. I don't think so.
