Comment by jordanpg | Hacker News Reader

Comment by jordanpg | Hacker News Reader

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As the father of a 5 year old boy with a genetic degenerative muscular disease whose lifespan will depend directly on how fast these technologies progress, I have difficulty responding in a civilized manner to the pointless, cruel, and stupid actions of the Administration in this regard. Rage is the word.

It is breathtaking to consider how the members of the Administration and their children, parents, and grandparents have benefited from NIH-funded research in innumerable ways that they are shamefully unaware of, every time they visit the doctor or the ER.

I have the same rage. But it extends equally to those who voted them in and donated to their campaigns, including my own family members.

They have created a huge rift in this country and I am still trying to figure out if I will forgive my family members and what they'd have to do to set us on a path towards reconciliation.

When there's a contract in place to conduct pediatric cancer research, and the government decides one day to break that contract, and it takes courts to rectify the situation, and then the government defies the courts, and the voters are cheering on the illegal actions of the politicians, well, rage is a mild word for what I feel.

The complete lack of self awareness is always breathtaking. Demanding empathy from others while being completely incapable of it yourself is always a stunning thing to encounter.

Do not mistake legitimate grievances for a lack of empathy. It's entirely on republicans to stop being so racist and vile to recover the rest of the population's respect.

See also: the paradox of intolerance.

Ah yes, the “I can’t be wrong because they’re clearly evil and the cause of all the world’s ills” argument. Sounds so familiar…

Consider that everyone sees themselves as the hero… but that doesn’t mean you actually are, maybe, just maybe you are just as culpable as the person you’re accusing.

Note that you could use your objection to defend nazism too. You can't "moral relativism" everything.

Republicans are currently the ones undermining the foundations or our republic, stripping rights from minorites (Texas just passed a bill that made it illegal to be trans), deporting people with no due process, arresting dissenting politicians and academics.

They're the ones plunging this country into economical ruin, destroying medicare and medicaid to transfer the savings to the 1% through massive tax cuts while letting everyone that depended on these programs die.

Everyone in support of these ideas is intolerant in my book, and I don't see why I should show empathy to a people that would rather see me in a camp.

You like many are confusing pity with empathy. You don’t need to feel bad for them you need to understand them.

Just based on the stuff you say here it’s pretty clear you very closely align yourself with “progressive values”. Many studies show that those who hold progressive beliefs, struggle to even accurately articulate the values and beliefs of those they believe they appose. Much less actually understand them.

You very clearly exhibit this behavior as well.

If you can’t understand the person who’s talking opposite you there is no way to come to an understanding, if you refuse to attempt to understand them, you can’t blame them for the state of animosity.

When I first saw your comment there were no replies, and I thought you were critiquing Trump supporters, and it seemed fairly misplaced with too many absolutes to be an accurate depiction of reality. But I didn't engage because it seemed fruitless to provide minor corrections.

But apparently the partisanship is reversed! You think that I am demanding "perfect empathy" (I am not) and you think I have now shown empathy for my family members (which, you don't know the history). You are describing narcissistic behavior, which is quite endemic in my family members, and having dealt with it for decades I also recognize the attempt to blame others for one's own failing.

Yes, it is all breathtaking, but not in the way you think.

Based on your reply, nothing I said was uncalled for. Just speaking as an objective observer.

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