Thank you all for your comments on my earlier post of the same title. I really appreciate hearing all your points of view and they've all made me think, each and every one.
I think that clip showed how we can all make assumptions and base our actions and attitudes on them and, how sad/dangerous that can be. I think that people assumed the violinist in the station was a down-and-out and therefore assigned no value to his presence or the beautiful music he played.
Bad Penny's story about a couple trying to avoid helping her and her 80 year old mother when they fell reminded me of the time my father, also in his 80s had a major problem with his heart when he was out in the street, he collapsed, holding onto a lamp post for support. Nobody stopped to help him despite it happening in a busy main road. When he was better, having been hospitalised, I talked about it with him and he said he thought people didn't stop because they assumed he was drunk! My poor old Dad, who doesn't drink alcohol!
It's sad that things that appear 'different' scare people, my Mum suffered from an illness which affected her balance in the 1970's which led her to quite literally keel over with no warning whatsoever, people used to think she was on drugs and didn't appreciate just how awful it was for her - I used to have to watch her when we crossed the road because it was so dangerous for her, maybe we all need to stop and think a little more and be a little more aware of our surroundings!
ReplyDeleteYes, life is passing us by at a scary rate and mostly we are oblivious to our surroundings! Your post ought to wake us up and cause us to pause and appreciate the here and now.
ReplyDeleteall we can do is make sure we help others and raise our kids to help others but also tell them to be street wise..its a difficult world out there.its such a shame that a lot of people have none of the good old fashioned common decency any more and are oblivious to others around them
ReplyDeleteYour words are sooooo true, Penny. Isn't it sad, how can people not help another human being in trouble! I know what you mean about the street people, it's hard sometimes to know who is in trouble or who is out of their minds on drugs or whatever.
ReplyDeletewhatever happened to the good Samaritan ?
ReplyDeleteI really try not to make assumptions and not judge. It's hard sometimes.
We know a couple where the husband is permanently in a slight state of alcoholic haze. His wife has severe mental illness - but they are an amazing couple both talented artists & he plays the harmonica beautifully. But a lot of my friends think they are awful !
Fear !!So many people live in fear. WE are afraid to get involved It is sad. Fear rules so many of us and is behind a lot of our actions. We need to practice more compassion, yet if we cannot give it to ourselves first and get over our fears then we cannot even hope to give it to others .
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to stop by and say thank you for your comments on my blog. :) I love seeing your creations. Thank you for sharing this, I'm doing a social science course and it's such a common thing where people just aren't neighbourly, lost in their own little world. It's such a shame.
ReplyDelete