My Reflection on “On Compassion” by Barbara Lazear Ascher

Compassion, in many ways, is the cornerstone of human civilization . To feel empathy, to feel pain when knowing of the suffering of our fellow man, to long to help other people, that is what separates humanity from savagery.

My parents were always worried about me as a child, and still are today, because I often allow feelings of empathy or compassion get the better of me. I have always been a softie. I would loathe it when my parents would play the news when I was a kid back in Texas. This was around the post-911 times, when the world seemed to be in chaos. I'd hear about the people dying in the tsunami that hit in 2004 and cry. I'd see biography's of the soldiers who died in Iraq and cry. It got so bad that my parents would never allow me to be in the room when the news was playing. I'd hear the death toll for Hurricane Katrina, and I would bawl. The thought of other people suffering in such horrific ways would keep me awake at night. Though the emotions quelled a bit as I got older, I still always felt the need to do something.

When I was roughly ten, I began to notice that as we drove through the bridges in Houston that their would be people sitting with shopping carts, some even fashioning homes out of old trash bags to protect themselves from the sun. Eventually, my parents became a bit worried when we would give them money (unsure of where the money would go to), so we would get goodie bags to pass around. They would be filled with food, a little bit of money, a bus pass, etc. From there, we began tutoring youth in their poorer community in an attempt to break the chain of poverty. That has always, even today, been a system and philosophy which my family and I have followed. You can't simply turn the other cheek. You must accept and act upon your compassion, not simply ignore its presence.

I feel as though the greatest threat to human compassion and care today is indifference. Some people seem to think "Oh, they're not going to use money for food anyways", "Oh, they should just get a job", or "If I give to them, then I have to give to everyone" rather than seeking actual ways to help. People make excuses. I often observe how many simply ignore beggars on the street, intentionally zooming past them and avoiding any eye contact. However, this doesn't mean that they lack compassion, it simply means that they prioritizing themselves.

The writer Barbara Lazear Ascher seems to view human compassion in a justifiably cynical manner. Within her essay "On Compassion" she cites two examples she witnessed in which human compassion was openly observed. One example describes a homeless man peering at a baby in her stroller. The mother, embroiled in discomfort and fear, hastily passes the man money. Her actions are questioned by Ascher. She reminds the reader that while on paper the actions may seem motivated by pity or compassion, in reality, the handing of money was simply a tactic to make the man leaver her and her child alone. Her act of compassion was actually an act of fear and self-preservation. The second example referenced in "On Compassion" is that of a French shopkeeper who feeds a homeless man with food from her shop every morning. The anecdote is intentionally vague, only faintly describing the actions and leaving the door wide open for doubt and speculation as to the woman's motives for such a seemingly compassionate action. While she is characterized as "moody", placing the shopkeeper in a harsh light, the author points out that others in the same position would simply shoo the homeless away rather than reward them for their presence (essentially leaving the door open for their consistent return). While the original example displayed actions of a mother motivated by fear, the second example displays a woman seemingly propelled by compassion (despite her initially alienating description), as she lacks anything to gain from her actions in supporting the man. 

Certain aspects of this essay truly struck a cord with me. I do believe that some people act compassionate simply for the sake of their own well being or good. It is easy for me to be cynical in many cases. Human motivations can always be doubted. I see the movie stars proudly proclaiming to have donated to charity in attempts to bolster their reputations. I see nations offering up economic aid all in attempts to improve trade relations. I see the disingenuous community service hours given for the sake of a resume. As Ascher suggests, many human actions aren't motivated by any form of compassion. Human acts of compassion are often simply a facade, shielding selfishness from open view.

I do however disagree with Ascher's belief "that one is not born compassionate." We live in a Darwinian society. It is survival of the fittest. Many sacrifice compassion, or simply ignore its presence within them, because some other human trait (greed, anger, self-preservation) corrupts or overwhelms them. That doesn't mean that they lack compassion. It simply means that it has not been awakened to its fullest potential. I don't see compassion as something that must be taught or acquired. Different experiences, whether it is seeing a homeless person in Hungary or a beggar in Cambodia, simply result in the recognition of compassion within you. Its is always there within all people - but you choose whether to accept its presence and act on it, or simply ignore it.