Forms of Assistance (part 2, action)

   Continuing from my un-read post about empathy, I persevere onto the kind of action that our ideal's should create.  They hardly ever do because, honestly, as lovely as ideals are, they are difficult to uphold and are therefore seemingly anti-human, which is then what defines them as ideals.  In any case, we will move to my current goal (which is close to an ideal, but not as elevated) of empathy towards love [inspired by amy winehouse's song "love is a losing game"].

   Empathy can be related to innumerable situations based on the idea that it relates to every experience, however when it comes to love (which is going to be my focus this evening because trying do empathy in the general sense is scary (and even trying to do just empathy and love is intense)) we can look at is as naive, romantic, stupid, perfect, or denialistic (among others).  However, we can also understand it as real (if you've ever believed you've been in love then you and I know that it's real [despite the cynicality I may use to perceive or present it]).  And, if we are taking the generous approach to other realities (such as sadness (which we already do)), then we should be able to appreciated the happiness of others as real, just as pain and loss are true.  Disbelieving happiness and love tends to be a consistent prerogative instead of appreciating and enjoying someone else's general good fortune.  More often we approach situations with a judgmental edge, which has to do with critical assessment as well, but this post is a call for using empathy instead of judgement in an honestly kind and understanding way.  How often do we get the opportunity to appreciate and relate within happiness and love?  Why should we only share our sorrows when there is happiness to be spread as well?

   But, this neglects the point that, as dumb as love may be, if we don't judge or be more cynical about ourselves, then we should let the lovers love and not pop their bubble because of our own (or my own) bitterness.  Now, I'm not sure that love can exist under true scrutiny, and I don't know that it would be anymore real even if it did, but this sort of just makes us think of how we judge and what love means in one fell swoop.  I want to break arrogance and move to a reality of connection between humanity. I believe that empathy is the key to this ideal of community and reality, essentially.  Empathy can connect us in the most basic sense of experience and within our individual interiority which we hold so dearly apart.  It's just a shift in ideals, but the problem is the action that needs to happen but is staved by fear.  All our troubles can be traced back to fear, but I don't know that's ever going to change...