What's worse, idealism or compassion?

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Bear in mind the Law of Unintended Consequences

― dave q, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

neither if well tempered with doubt

― anthony, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Idealism = value-neutral ("Hitler and Mao were idealists," they like to say), compassion = value-positive.

Personally, I see compassion as the only effective basis for a secular system of ethics. But that's me.

― Phil, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This question is just too dave q for words. I basically agree with Phil. No compassion = psychopathic society.

― Nick, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

yes very dave q! idealism is the worst because its not flexible and it priviledges the self ('i am right, you will listen') above the communal (pragmatic).

idealism vs compassion as the 2 poles of 'moral' development. anyone here read Kohlberg vs Gilligan?

― gareth, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Idealism is awful as it is normally rather unpractical hence is not applicable to life where, let's face it, being practical can be a bit of a must.

― Bill, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If you're looking at communist theory as the motivation, you could also say that Stalin and Mao were compassionate. Compassion's all right as long as you don't try to make other people compassionate. Idealism can go either way depending on the ideals.

― maria, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm currently fairly pro compassion, I have to say.

― Tom, Friday, 14 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i'm not sure how you can arrive at stalin or mao as compassionate.

― gareth, Friday, 14 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, one of my ideals is a society based on compassion.

― Frank Kogan, Friday, 14 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

anyone here read Kohlberg vs Gilligan?

I took a look at this website and was very disappointed that Gilligan's theories did not once mention a way to get off the blasted island.

― Dan Perry, Friday, 14 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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