# I'm done being compassionate! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 2, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707 "2004-09-02T03:06:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/1 "2004-09-02T03:06:03Z")
While really thinking about the last 4 years, I realized that Bush’s administration really hasn’t affected me. None of my relatives lost their jobs. None of my family died in the military. I wanted to (and probably still will) vote Kerry because I felt bad that 1000 US soldiers won’t be coming home. That thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians lost their lives. That millions of Americans lost their jobs. But…a weight has been lifted! None of that affects me! And 4 more years of Bush probably won’t affect me personally either! I’ve simply been too compassionate for the common man. But I don’t have to be anymore. I’m just going to worry about myself and my loved ones from now on. So go ahead. Vote for Bush, America. Lose your jobs and let your children get sent to Iraq, because I’m done giving a shit about any of you. Your problems aren’t my problems. This must be what it feels like to be a Republican, and it feels damn good. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/2 "2004-09-02T03:26:46Z")
Ah, young padawan, you have discovered the meaning of “the party of personal responsiblity.” It means being responsible to yourself personally. Enjoy the unbearable lightness of being Republican! ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/3 "2004-09-02T03:31:52Z")
Apathy has a bad rap–it can be a truly uplifting emotion at times. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/4 "2004-09-02T03:46:10Z")
Just to clarify, I’m not becoming a Republican. Technically I’m not even a Democrat yet because I haven’t mailed in my registration forms (I’m 19, my first election YAY). But I may not even do that now. I’m starting to consider which European country might be nice to move to after I’m done college. ---
**Author:** ![chaparralv8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@chaparralv8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaparralv8)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/5 "2004-09-02T03:52:26Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > Just to clarify, I’m not becoming a Republican. Technically I’m not even a Democrat yet because I haven’t mailed in my registration forms (I’m 19, my first election YAY). But I may not even do that now. I’m starting to consider which European country might be nice to move to after I’m done college. Just jump over the northern border, and there’s a European country located inexplicably where you’d think an even colder version Minnesota would be. You could, of course, change regions in this country. If you’re fed up with the local yokels, try moving into one of the cities of the Northeast or SoCal. This has the added advantage of avoiding all the hassles associated with immigration. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/6 "2004-09-02T04:56:21Z")
I’m already in the northeast (PA). ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/7 "2004-09-02T05:00:13Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > Just to clarify, I’m not becoming a Republican. Technically I’m not even a Democrat yet because I haven’t mailed in my registration forms (I’m 19, my first election YAY). But I may not even do that now. I’m starting to consider which European country might be nice to move to after I’m done college. I’d recommend Belarus. Free health care, guaranteed employment, and bread tasty enough to wait in line two hours for. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/8 "2004-09-02T05:32:53Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > (I’m 19, my first election YAY) You mean, your first **Federal** election, right? Because you were old enough to vote this time last year, and I’m sure there were local elections going on in your county then, and surely you wouldn’t want to pass up your right to vote, wouldja? ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/9 "2004-09-02T05:58:21Z")
> [@syncrolecyne](#): > > I’d recommend Belarus. Free health care, guaranteed employment, and bread tasty enough to wait in line two hours for. I’d say great response, but I just don’t give a shit. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/10 "2004-09-02T17:14:35Z")
Well, I will shamefully admit that I have never voted in my life (I am 30). I have now registered to vote and will be participating in my first election this fall. I don’t even know how to vote. I don’t know if I go into this booth and there are levers to pull, or cards to punch, or what exactly will be going on. But I’ll be at the polls this fall anyway. And that is in no small part due to this board. I had never cared in the least about politics, but after reading these boards and following the cites given and putting the bong down and picking up a newspaper I actually care now. Oh well. I’m crossing my fingers that I make the right choice and that my vote matters. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/11 "2004-09-02T17:32:06Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Apathy has a bad rap–it can be a truly uplifting emotion at times. 😉 Meh. I can hardly be arsed to get excited about apathy. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/12 "2004-09-02T17:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > So go ahead. Vote for Bush, America. Lose your jobs and let your children get sent to Iraq, because I’m done giving a shit about any of you. Your problems aren’t my problems. This must be what it feels like to be a Republican, and it feels damn good. :rolleyes: Oh good, another “Anyone who disagrees with me is an idiot” post. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/13 "2004-09-02T18:12:29Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > :rolleyes: Oh good, another “Anyone who disagrees with me is an idiot” post. Wow, way to completely miss the point of my rant. Congratulations. I’m simply saying that I am done caring about what happens to other people. I’m going to vote for what is in MY best interest. ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/14 "2004-09-02T18:19:27Z")
I understand what you mean. One the eve of the war in Iraq, I kept on asking my friend to turn on the radio to hear reports of the war. He did not seemed bothered by going to war, and I asked him why. He told me, “It isn’t our war”, meaning we are too old to go, neither of us have kids, so why should we give a fuck. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/15 "2004-09-02T18:20:42Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > Wow, way to completely miss the point of my rant. Congratulations. > > I’m simply saying that I am done caring about what happens to other people. I’m going to vote for what is in MY best interest. Hey dumbass, it affects you and your family as well, whether your addled brain thinks so or not. That’s like saying you don’t give a shit about 9/11, because is didn’t affect you. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/16 "2004-09-02T18:40:48Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Hey dumbass, it affects you and your family as well, whether your addled brain thinks so or not. That’s like saying you don’t give a shit about 9/11, because is didn’t affect you. Damn that whoosh was speedy-quick! (I kinda got the idea that the OP was being sarcastic) Good for you Greathouse! Good for you! ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/17 "2004-09-02T18:57:42Z")
If it’s a whoosh then I apologize, but I’ll wait until **Soap** clarifies things first. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/18 "2004-09-02T19:10:57Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > If it’s a whoosh then I apologize, but I’ll wait until **Soap** clarifies things first. Despite what you may be led to believe from my OP, I don’t think it’s that easy for me to just turn off my concern for other people. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/19 "2004-09-02T19:20:21Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > Despite what you may be led to believe from my OP, I don’t think it’s that easy for me to just turn off my concern for other people. Sadly, I know plenty of that can flip it off like a switch, good to know you’re not one of them. My apologies for the dumbass remark. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/20 "2004-09-02T19:33:24Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Sadly, I know plenty of that can flip it off like a switch, good to know you’re not one of them. > > My apologies for the dumbass remark. No problem. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707.md?page=2)