Comment by buckbova | Hacker News Reader

Comment by buckbova | Hacker News Reader

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> The reduction in compassion that happens when we’re all behind computer screens is not good for the world. People are still people even if there is Internet between you.

That is humanity. People are narcissistic assholes. If the average person wasn't scared of what would happen or how they're perceived they'd punch you right in the face for looking in their direction.

That's what internet anonymity does. Brings out people's true essence. You see it with road rage too. The protection of the vehicle and the quick flight make giving the finger in response to a reasonable mishap an easy answer. A "FUCK YOU" for accidentally veering into your lane. Sound reasonable?

Yeah there's a few Mother Teresas out there, but most of them are self righteous a-holes too. What a world.

> That is humanity. People are narcissistic assholes. If the average person wasn't scared of what would happen or how they're perceived they'd punch you right in the face for looking in their direction.

I disagree. Some people: yes. Average person: I don't know, I suspect probably not. I've met a lot of people from different parts of the US, Canada, and around the world. A great many of them have exhibited a tendency towards genuine empathy. That too is human nature, it's not all narcissism and self-interest.

Stop using Mother Teresa as a pinnacle of good. She was a terrible human who thought suffering was good and gave people a place to suffer, not to heal.

"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." -- Oscar Wilde

Relevant as always.

Mother Teresa was a rather terrible person. She saw human suffering as a way to be closer to God and squirreled donations to her clinics away for personal bank accounts of her and her higher-class/political goons. She defended some rather evil characters and even kept a $1.25 million dollars donated to her from stolen money. When asked to return it, she simply ignored the request.

Humanity is also full of cynical assholes.

touché

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