Philosophical question.....why should we concern ourselves with issues

[Mind_your_head]

that don't concern our own selves directly?

[xchrom]

1. might be because -- ''no man is an island unto himself''.

might be.

[jpgray]

2. Injustice toward any person concerns me directly, since I like to think of myself as a person

Being a humanist makes so much sense sometimes.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

3. Empathy? nt

[drmeow]

4. Some thoughts

Some issues violate/support our fundamental beliefs about the world and how people should be treated. Even if the issue does not affect us, it matters to us because of our underlying ideology - it is either just right or just wrong. Ignoring those issues potentially challenges our world view (I won't get into some of the personality theories that underlie this) and may cause anxiety.

Related - for many issues that do not obviously affect us directly there are underlying ideological attitudes which may eventually affect us. Until 9-11 how many of us were affected directly by the situation that lead to the attacks? For heterosexuals, its gay marriage today, who says our relationships won't be banned next?

On edit - we do appear to have a biological capacity for empathy (there are strong individual differences) which determines how readily we can ignore others suffering.

[Mind_your_head]

5. There are many persons who "live as an island" right now!

They need a 'lifeline'.

Not pompous people who "later" say, "oh, you shoud've done this or that"......har har har

[readmoreoften]

6. Because all else leads to totalitarian communitarianism.

"I will only concern myself with the rights of the German born. Don't we have a right to our own universities? Free from Jewish influence?"

"This is a WOMAN-ONLY SPACE! No "transgenders" allowed. This is where WOMEN talk about being WOMEN."

"Why should I go on strike? Sure, 95% of my coworkers are going to be critically harmed by this company policy, but it really doesn't effect me because I'm new/have seniority. The rest of us should be allowed to cross the picket line and help the company out during these trying times."

"Angry mobs are killing gays in the street. The sheer number imply they'll be eradicated, but I see no reason to intervene. More will be born next generation."

[bliss_eternal]

7. Because it affects us all as a society...

...if certain members have less rights than other members.
Are you trying to piss people off, or is there some other reason you are asking such a question?

:eyes:

[ElboRuum]

8. Philosophical Retort...

What issues DON'T concern us directly?

[Sinti]

9. Because we are human beings, and to not concern ourselves

with the plight of our fellow human beings degrades us into something less. As a human being, when my brother is hungry, I too am starving. Not to mention, that concern for each individual member of the tribe assures the survival of the tribe as a whole. In this way, being your brother's keeper is a survival instinct.

[mondo joe]

10. Most practical answer: Because those issues probably do impact you anyway.

You may just not have figured it out yet.

[TahitiNut]

11. There's apparently no room for enlightened self-interest in "identity politics" ...

... so I guess "WE" shouldn't. :shrug:

[Jamastiene]

12. "First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew...

Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me." -Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller

[TahitiNut]

14. Just another example of "identity politics."

It's so easy ... as long as the taxonomy is well-defined. :shrug:

[readmoreoften]

15. You should check out the works of Alain Badiou.

Leftist who talks about moving beyond communitarianist identity politics, but only through radical justice and treating equality as an axiom.

[TahitiNut]

22. The paradox of 'belonging' to a group of individuals who don't belong to a group.

I'm very aware of that paradox. "Live in the question." :shrug:

One of the most pervasive of oppressions is the assignation of the individual to a group in which (s)he refuses to be or resists becoming a member. I personally respond to such assignations with some degree of anger at the insult.

[Mind_your_head]

13. Very interesting answers, to be sure.....

Nobody picked up on the fact that I would like a JOB. I'm more than 'scared to death' right now, I need a JOB.....REALLY!....please feel free to offer one.

For all of the "philosophy" and bs......people need "to make money"......oh wait, SOME people can "make money" just playing the stock/futures/derivatives market. They don't have to *know* or *do* anything - except know how to "buy low and sell high" ~ and if yer 'friends' tell you what's mostly gonna be "high/low", well that's the BEST world to be in ~ which isn't *me* or *you*, most likely.

[readmoreoften]

16. Well, yeah. That's a different story. But if you want a job, you're REALLY going to have to band

together with THE WORKING CLASS not in the name of "self-interest" (which has the power to pit the working class against one another) but of social justice. Because you don't just need "a job", you need to survive and thrive.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

19. I'll drink to that.

Let us work to make our country and economy more just.

[readmoreoften]

20. I'll drink with ya!

:toast:

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

17. Concern for justice nt

[Starry Messenger]

18. Your sig line should give you the answer. n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

21. Because we all forgot about Ayn Rand after we tried reading her crap in high school. n/t