Comments on: Michael Vick’s Sob Story http://www.survivalmachine.org/2007/12/15/michael-vicks-sob-story/ Science Science Revolution! Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:35:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Daniel M http://www.survivalmachine.org/2007/12/15/michael-vicks-sob-story/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Daniel M Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:42:39 +0000 http://blog.subspecies.org/2007/12/15/michael-vicks-sob-story/#comment-5 This brings us back to a conversation we had recently- empathy: is it learned, inherent, or cultivated? On the subject of his awareness of his wrong doing, did he not see the pain and destruction he was causing in the eyes of it's recipients? After repeating the act for 6 years, did he become numb to it, desensitized, or did he derive pleasure from it? I think it's obvious that empathy can be relative to the moral framework that exists in a person (which is subject to change). I'd like to think that a human being is inherently kind and empathetic, and cruelty is learned from cruelty, but even my 4 year old son took GREAT pleasure in stomping on insects and watching them squirm (until I tricked him into perceiving things from the opposite side of the equation, now he avoids killing them when possible). My point is that while it doesn't excuse his behavior, and he should definitely face incarceration for his actions, he might actually have learned some empathy from this situation. Maybe thats just naive, idealistic thinking, but I think we all attract a level of karmic return. Payback's a bitch, but one can only hope that while he's paying for it, he will be regretting it for more than the damage it's done to his life, maybe it will prompt some change in him as a person. Who gives a fuck you might say? We're all in this bullshit together, so I think it matters. This brings us back to a conversation we had recently- empathy: is it learned, inherent, or cultivated? On the subject of his awareness of his wrong doing, did he not see the pain and destruction he was causing in the eyes of it’s recipients?

After repeating the act for 6 years, did he become numb to it, desensitized, or did he derive pleasure from it? I think it’s obvious that empathy can be relative to the moral framework that exists in a person (which is subject to change).

I’d like to think that a human being is inherently kind and empathetic, and cruelty is learned from cruelty, but even my 4 year old son took GREAT pleasure in stomping on insects and watching them squirm (until I tricked him into perceiving things from the opposite side of the equation, now he avoids killing them when possible).

My point is that while it doesn’t excuse his behavior, and he should definitely face incarceration for his actions, he might actually have learned some empathy from this situation. Maybe thats just naive, idealistic thinking, but I think we all attract a level of karmic return. Payback’s a bitch, but one can only hope that while he’s paying for it, he will be regretting it for more than the damage it’s done to his life, maybe it will prompt some change in him as a person. Who gives a fuck you might say? We’re all in this bullshit together, so I think it matters.

]]> By: Willie http://www.survivalmachine.org/2007/12/15/michael-vicks-sob-story/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Willie Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:18:18 +0000 http://blog.subspecies.org/2007/12/15/michael-vicks-sob-story/#comment-4 The main point is: fuck Michael Vick....AMEN. I hate people getting special treatment because of being a celebrity. If the prick did it for six years he is simply a sack of shit and should pay for it. If you can fight dogs for that long and not see anything wrong with it you got some serious issues. The main point is: fuck Michael Vick….AMEN. I hate people getting special treatment because of being a celebrity. If the prick did it for six years he is simply a sack of shit and should pay for it. If you can fight dogs for that long and not see anything wrong with it you got some serious issues.

]]> By: Jon Kelvey http://www.survivalmachine.org/2007/12/15/michael-vicks-sob-story/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Jon Kelvey Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:10:46 +0000 http://blog.subspecies.org/2007/12/15/michael-vicks-sob-story/#comment-3 Interesting entry dear Simian. A similar phenomenon occurs whenever a wealthy, respected member of the community is accused of child molestation. While there are false accusations, the number of real guilty perps who get letters or friend of the court briefs in their favor from friends and professionals is astounding. Apparently people have just never figured it out that ones public or professional appearence can have little or not bearing on a persons moral conduct when it comes to their shadow side. "Anyone that says Vick/whoever could do that doesn't know Vick/whoever" Bullshit. The Vick you know might not have done it, but then, that wasn't the Vick that was doing it. There was a recent article in Wired about a leading figure in Gene therapy accused of molesting this girl he had been mentoring...none of his colleagues could believe it, he was such the disciplined, controlled guy. Don't judge a book by its cover and the greater the man, the greater the evil inclination... Interesting entry dear Simian. A similar phenomenon occurs whenever a wealthy, respected member of the community is accused of child molestation. While there are false accusations, the number of real guilty perps who get letters or friend of the court briefs in their favor from friends and professionals is astounding. Apparently people have just never figured it out that ones public or professional appearence can have little or not bearing on a persons moral conduct when it comes to their shadow side.

“Anyone that says Vick/whoever could do that doesn’t know Vick/whoever” Bullshit. The Vick you know might not have done it, but then, that wasn’t the Vick that was doing it.

There was a recent article in Wired about a leading figure in Gene therapy accused of molesting this girl he had been mentoring…none of his colleagues could believe it, he was such the disciplined, controlled guy. Don’t judge a book by its cover and the greater the man, the greater the evil inclination…

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