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It seems like everyone likes to take a crack at the “carnies.” We like to make fun of how they look. We like to look down at them and their “lowly” life. We mock them, criticize them, and make them the butt of our jokes.
The last I checked, they counted as humans. Two arms, two legs, a working brain, and everything else that makes them the same as you and me.
However, why do we lack compassion for the “carnies?” Why do we make fun of them? Why?
It’s not just the “carnies.” It’s the people who have a different color of skin than us. It’s the people who belong to a different religion than us. People who work a different type of job from us. People who make a different income than us. People who are attracted to different people than us. It’s the people who dress differently than us.
I’ve noticed a correlation between the size of the distance we place between ourselves and others and the magnitude of the lack of compassion and empathy for others. The more “different” we view ourselves as another, the less compassion we have for them.
Here’s a great example of that:
Source: motifake.com
And, another:
Source: motifake.com
Here are three easy steps we can follow to decrease the amount of “distance” we place between ourselves and others to find more compassion and empathy in our hearts.
Try hard to find ways that we are similar to others. By seeking to find the commonalities we share with other people, the more we will see others as, well, humans. Just like us. When we can look to others as brothers and sisters, we will be more likely to love and exercise compassion and understanding for others.
There is also a corresponding relationship between empathy and wonder. The more you “wonder” what it’s like to be another person, and experiencing what they are experiencing, the more empathy you develop for that person. It’s that neuronal “mirroring” that occurs. The more you “become” the other person, the more you’ll develop emotions within you that help you understand what emotions the other person may be experiencing as well. The great news is that our brains are highly developed to perform this task. We just have to use it more often, especially when we are interacting with someone who we may view as very different from us.
Its been observed in scientific studies also that when people lump others into “groups” it allows for the interaction to be de-humanized. Just think of what happened to the Jews during World War II. They were put into a “group.” As a result, they were de-humanized and slaughtered. That’s because people no longer are people. They are non-human members of a group. They become less than human. This is exactly what’s happening when we categorize people as “carnies.” We are “grouping” them, and therefore they become “de-humanized.” Then, they become easy pickings for our jabs, insults, and ridicule.
We are here for much more than criticizing others. We are here for great purpose. Truth to be told, when we stoop down to this level of behavior, we don’t feel good about it. Something doesn’t sit well within us. That’s because our true heart knows that we are compassionate and loving. When we don’t act in this manner, there is inner conflict. We’re not at peace.
How did you like this article? Did it speak to you? Was it helpful? Please let me know how you felt about it in the comments section below. I promise to respond if you do!
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