On feeling sorry for people

Ok homeless aside. Vets: They shouldn't "need" anything from me either.I am going to be a bit callous again - Would I tell a Vietnam vet that I agree with the war and they lost a limb for a just cause? No, I would be lying. I would feel bad that they got sucked into it all. A vet from current Iraq war? No, I don't agree with it and I would tell them that, but I would salute them for their service and feel bad for them.Not sure if you are refering to "recognition" as general service or the reason behind them getting injured.My brother returned from a year in Iraq 5 months ago. He doesn't need recognition, he hated the Army and hated what he did there. He would rather you not talk about it. He hated praise for it.I know it was different in the past.

Neither. I'm refering to recognition that they are not just part of the scenery. They are not just a piece of the "big picture". They are not just a part of some grandiose meaning-of-life philosophy.I'll mention children again. Children need attention. They need to know that they matter. It's no different for veterans or for anybody else. We are all social animals.There is a difference between a society and a collection of cliques.

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I will state again. Children, war vets, business men, homeless, mentally ill: conversationally they are no different to me. Postion in life doens't make it any easier or more difficult for me to interact with them.It stems down to a problem with a low selfesteem issue in the past, I am working on it now. It is easiest and most comfortable for me to talk to people that I know I share interests with, no matter who they are. If I don't know it I don't try to find out. It has nothing to do with anything other then that.

You know that low self-esteem is contagious, don't you?

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Don't worry I don't telegraph it. I also own up to it and explain to people why I am like I am.

But only people you know.

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A small paradox: that is what usually starts the "knowing" process.Something that most people can relate too in some form or another.Edited by NeuroCycle, : Grammar

We both are kind of two different people socially, in action and in philosophy. Although I see our goals to be the same, we just take different avenues.I do understand yours, I just can't do it. I hope that you understand mine and can accept it as equal.ABE: You can tell how I am since I registered for this site about a year ago and only have 60 odd posts... and half of them from today, not to mention I lurked a year prior to registering.Edited by NeuroCycle, : Added comments

Sure. I'm just saying I "feel sorry for" all kinds of disablities - whether physical, psychological, economic or social.

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As do I, but you are able to handle it in a more, lets say, open way.I would by lying if I didn't admit that I am a bit jealous of your abilities.

Everybody is like that, Neurocycle. Some people pretend otherwise. They are like moralistic used-car salesmen.

If it pays better then then bar, I am in!

Well put.I think it's perfectly ok, and normal to feel the way you do. I also agree with jar (not being critical here at all) in that you missed an opportunity to talk to those people. You, and them may have both benifited from the opportunity, or not. The important thing is to follow your heart, to me that's what God would be looking at.I think maybe what is inspiring people here to be critical of your thinking, is that, just how bad did you feel about it, if you did not do anything about it? Plus you started a thread on it, so that leaves you open to critisim. Maybe you could have at least gone over to them and thanked them for paying a price for your freedom? You said your heart went out to them.

I started the thread on it because in the other thread, where all this began, I was told that my feelings and comments were demeaning to the veterans. That's why I started the thread, to criticize that idea. It seemed to me perverse.For a sample of what was said on the other thread, see message #39.Edited by robinrohan, : No reason given.

I just now read your "ABE" I don't think I'm doing this, but if I am let me know how. I thought the passage I showed you from the original thread illustrated PC ideas about not assuming and not judging.