Quote:
Originally Posted by King of Snake
I think that generalising a complete generation is hardly a sound foundation upon which to have an argument about ethics or connections between people. Usually such sweeping generalisations are made by people who do not belong to the generation which they are describing and undoubtedly when they themselves were college students, the generation before them had a negative generalising nickname for them too.
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I'd say that's a perfectly reasonable point to make. Although I'm willing to take the scientific validity of the study at face value because 1. I think its totally possible to make generalizations about groups of people as long as they are presented and managed as nothing more than generalizations and 2. I happen to believe that empathy *is* dwindling in western society, so this study proves something I've long felt to be true. Which raises the question: why?
Quote:
Originally Posted by King of Snake
Certainly you could argue that people have become more individualistic (in developed countries) but then the collectivism of the past was hardly often something that was pushed on people anyway (by the state, the church for instance). I think liberalism and freedom for the individual is a great thing, even if not everyone uses this freedom in the best or most positive way.
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That is a classic misconception that goes back to Ayn Rand and her followers (cult members) from the 50's onward: that individualism is diametrically opposed to empathy, or that collectivism is a model of human organization that promotes more empathetic relationships.
Both her detractors and supporters have been proven wrong by strong evidence. Individualism, far from sterilizing human bonds, has shown to be *necessary and sufficient* for empathetic and ethical actions, so long as the individualism in question is inherent in other people as much as oneself. It is the process of dehumanization (de-individualization) of the victim that allows the aggressor ethical exceptions to appropriate behavior. In this sense, of course I agree freedom and liberalism is a good thing.
In other words: by all means be individualistic. just make sure you make others' individuality commensurately real and valuable, otherwise all sorts of mischief ensues. Which is the point of the article and the study. Kids are getting part of it right. not the whole thing.