Why I prefer to maintain hope

[wmw999 2,587]

I watched a show on TV tonight; one of those "medical miracle" shows. It was about a 5-year-old boy whose face was hideously disfigured by tumors (just google Novemthree).

He's from a poor village; his parents love him and would do whatever is within their power, which is virtually nothing. A local doctor sees him and arranges for him to be operated on in Taiwan.

Every single one of those doctors spoke English with a strong enough accent that they used subtitles. On the other hand, the grammar was almost universally correct; the feelings were virtually exactly what anyone else would have, however without the outwardly demonstrative way that we would. Yes, people care even if they don't look like you. Their English was a damn sight better than my Chinese.

They show one of the doctors praying before the first of several life-threatening operations, but to Buddha, not to God.

His father (very un-American, but very father-like) cares for his son, feeding him, helping him, caring for him, nursing him, because he loves his son.

Folks, people are people. If you can see past the differences in culture, they care for one another, most want the opportunity to help their families, and if they can do that, then to help others too.

Unfortunately, the boy died about a year and a half later. But if you get the opportunity to watch it, it's a wonderful program, as long as you want to see people being people, and not Chinese, or Indonesians, or any other nationality or ethnicity.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[SudsyFist 0]

Rad.

[skydyvr 0]

Thanks, I enjoyed reading that.

. . =(_8^(1)

[BillyVance 35]

I saw it some time ago... Amazing story, really.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Wopelao 0]

Do a search, and read about Joseph Merrick. It is also very interesting.

[mr2mk1g 10]

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Folks, people are people.

What troubles me the most is that to so many people this seems to come as news.

[Lindsey 0]

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Do a search, and read about Joseph Merrick. It is also very interesting.

That's someone whom we can easily have empathy for. The ones who are more difficult are people whom we see as having less integrity(?) or or we see as less human, maybe, because of their situation....I'm not sure. But I think we find it difficult to have empathy for people that we don't relate easily with....whether they be people of different religious or cultural backgrounds, drug addicts, people with mental illness, etc.

[Wopelao 0]

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Do a search, and read about Joseph Merrick. It is also very interesting.

That's someone whom we can easily have empathy for. The ones who are more difficult are people whom we see as having less integrity(?) or or we see as less human, maybe, because of their situation....I'm not sure. But I think we find it difficult to have empathy for people that we don't relate easily with....whether they be people of different religious or cultural backgrounds, drug addicts, people with mental illness, etc.

You are missing over 2/3rds of his life, where he was basically treated as a slave and was exhibited and mistreated.

Humanity, it all depends, although some people would argue I see color, which is wrong, I see actions and behaviors.

There is a whole lot of assholes out there, and people whose only purpose in life is making you suffer for no reason.

Drug addicts for example, I find very untrustworthy, cultural back grounds different is ok for me as long as they treat me with respect. Yet there is a delicate balance as to what some people will hold to be cultural-religion differences, and in reality is just a disguise to dehumanize women children or anyone who is not in agreement with them.

[Lindsey 0]

I understand that J Merrick was treated horribly. Now it's easy to look back on his life with empathy for him. Were he alive today, who knows? To me, though, regardless of how like us or different from us that others appear, most all of us have basic feelings, attachments, hopes that are similar. Empathy for people...for ALL people...is important to me.

linz

[Wopelao 0]

Hey Lindsey, I am not expecting for anyone to be infallible or out of error. All of us are as humans can feel, and do feel empathy, but that does not mean that I would contribute $$ for Nambla, or the KKK, because I feel "empathy" that they are being constantly "oppressed". I support the fact they have a right to free speech, and to march and in any town USA. But from that, and let them happily beat or offend me, or someone who I happen to be with me at the supposed time, that's a different story.

Some people's actions - creed or advocacy I just can't feel empathy for.

[steve1 5]

It took me a while to figure out that people are people no matter what the culture, race, or religion they have.

I was once so narrow minded that I thought unless you were from Montana, that you were wrong. Jumping at Perris with jumpers from all over the world (for a short time) really openned my mind to how wrong this kind of thinking is, and to how similiar we all are. On some loads I had trouble conversing with these jumpers since we spoke a different language, but nearly all were great people.

Predjudice is something we all carry around with us, and it's usually based on ignorance....Steve1

[scaryshari 0]

Good story.

There are some cultures where the men/husbands will shun/divorce their spouses after delivering a disfigured child.

Nice to see the male in this type of environment be one who nurtures rather than flee.

Thanks for sharing

is