I don’t know any American farmers, but I suspect they have limited options of who to vote for, and even when they diligently vote correctly at every opportunity, their candidates are incentivized to betray them the moment they take office. The more important truth, however, is this:
When some misfortune befalls your fellow man, this instinct to bury pity with contempt hurts you more than it hurts them.
Still I’m inclined to feel for them, the way I felt for people in the UK during Brexit, Canadians when their labor rights are eroded, Russians when their government rigs their elections and media, Chinese when their government persecutes them, and so forth.
I suspect it’s often not a majority of citizens pushing through these harmful policies. Even when it is, I blame lack of education and larger hostile actors who wage war against the masses with misinformation campaigns, election interference, etc.
The point is not that people themselves are entirely free of blame. It’s that human suffering always merits sympathy, and looking for reasons to disregard or rejoice in their just desserts isn’t a helpful impulse.
Clent@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
They aren’t victims. That’s my point.
I’m sure it fells good for you to feel that they are and that you’re out there defending them.
Septimaeus@infosec.pub 2 weeks ago
I don’t know any American farmers, but I suspect they have limited options of who to vote for, and even when they diligently vote correctly at every opportunity, their candidates are incentivized to betray them the moment they take office. The more important truth, however, is this:
When some misfortune befalls your fellow man, this instinct to bury pity with contempt hurts you more than it hurts them.
StarshotJohn@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I live around a ton of farmers. They all vote the same.
Septimaeus@infosec.pub 2 weeks ago
Still I’m inclined to feel for them, the way I felt for people in the UK during Brexit, Canadians when their labor rights are eroded, Russians when their government rigs their elections and media, Chinese when their government persecutes them, and so forth.
I suspect it’s often not a majority of citizens pushing through these harmful policies. Even when it is, I blame lack of education and larger hostile actors who wage war against the masses with misinformation campaigns, election interference, etc.
The point is not that people themselves are entirely free of blame. It’s that human suffering always merits sympathy, and looking for reasons to disregard or rejoice in their just desserts isn’t a helpful impulse.
Clent@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Lack of sympathy is not a form of contempt. Lack of sympathy is form of apathy. Contempt cannot exist where there is apathy.
Your ignorance and suspicions are yours alone and do not transferable to me.
It’s silly and weird for you to make up this story in your head about me and then attack that imagined person.
Septimaeus@infosec.pub 2 weeks ago
Blame. Contempt. Not attacking. Showing you your self.