Compassion.

Once upon a time, millions of years ago, the planet Earth was teaming with life. From the point of view of the Universe, that was not so long ago. Lush greenery came, only to be overcome by desert, only to be overcome by plant life, etc., etc.

The predominant varieties of animal life were dinosaurian, reptilian and avian. Over time, a small mammalian creature evolved. Living on the fruits of such a lush planet, they quickly grew more numerous. The other families of animal did not yet have anything to worry about. In fact, the more carnivorous among them found this newcomer to be quite tasty. But, the mammals were sneaky.

Over time, due partly to the great number of descendants of our shrew-like friends, stressing the local food supply, and partly from the natural ebb and flow of weather patterns on this planet, the mammal neighborhood began to take on a desert form. It soon became obvious that they would have to venture out, and find greener pastures. They knew that the only way they would survive was if they stuck together, and crossed a great desert, a vast expanse of dry, cracked land, to what they hoped would be another garden they could call home. So, our friends prepared by eating large amounts of food, drinking as much as they could and conserving their energy for the fateful trek.

The time finally came to make their move. At first, each and every one was as robust as they had ever been; but, over time, it became abundantly evident that some were not as strong in constitution. This was hidden by the fact that it was always so easy to get what they needed. Then, it finally happened. Our herd was spotted by a team of hungry, hunting carnivores. They were not the fastest moving, but with patience, they would be able to feast on the flesh of the weaker members that were left behind. Those that escaped could be dealt with on another day. The mammals, smelling danger, moved faster still.

But the carnivorous creatures were in luck; for it seemed that this particular species had a heightened sense of compassion. What caused this particular trait? Perhaps it was a by-product of their size. The need to look out for each other may be what has kept them alive all of these years; but, on this particular day, this trait would prove their undoing. Unwilling to leave any single member behind, the stronger mammals retreated to the back of the line, in order to assist their ailing members. Within a short period, the entire herd was wiped out. This scene played out on enough occasions that this particular species, once destined to evolve to primate, and some of our distinguished dino-scientists have even speculated they may have been able to develop the brain size to perhaps become the dominant species. Imagine that; mammal supremacy.


The above story came to mind after reading Nietzsche. Specifically, his thoughts concerning Christianity being a religion of pity and his idea that compassion runs contrary to human progress. When one thinks about it large amounts of resources are spent on relief programs brought about by the idea that society owes the less fortunate. Imagine if those resources were focused on actual advancement.

As time went on, I began to realize that such a one dimensional view of the subject was caused, partly, by a shallow understanding of what I had read. The context of the ideas developed by Nietzsche is his somewhat peculiar view of pain and suffering. He saw it as the instrument of evolution from man to superman.

The statement on compassion that I read was not a reflection of callous disregard; but, rather, a genuine interest in humanity. To shield a friend, for instance, from his suffering was to deny him the possibility of transcending his present state. He advocated developing a thick skin in order to stop you from showing compassion even for a friend, in the interest of your friend. There seems to be an element of pain inflicted on oneself for the future betterment of all involved. As illustrated in my childish fable, should the friend not be able to find the strength to get back up, going to his aid will only weaken the whole. This concern casts a much different light on the readings.

Feelings of pity and compassion are part of the emotional arsenal we have inherited. Like all emotions, it is healthy to find an appropriate outlet for them.

What is the satanic view on compassion? I do not think hard and fast rules are helpful. There is no one answer. Each situation is unique. In some cases, it seems only obvious that you help the object of your pity. Most would help a child, or elderly person. My personal rule of thumb is to help those who have spent the reserve of their natural abilities. For instance, a learning disabled person would garner my help before an able bodied person who has only put forth a half hearted effort. The actions of each individual would be different.

The bottom, for me, is that any act of compassion comes from my desire to act on the human emotion of pity. It is a self-serving act. I am certainly not open to the constant bombardment from without that would put my compassion button into overdrive. It is that trespass into the emotions of others that find to be most objectionable by religions such as Christianity, and injurious to human progress.
I do not think an act of compassion is unsatanic when it is done as a self-conscious action, bringing some relief or joy to the actor. How that is played out is totally up to the individual, based on temperament.