# 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:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/21 "2004-09-03T13:09:17Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > 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. Okay, maybe I don’t understand the point of voting then. If you vote for someone else’s interest are you expecting someone else to vote for yours? How are your interests represented in government if you don’t vote to elect people to represent them for you? What I gather from the sarcasm in your post is that those who would vote for Bush are selfish bastards while those who would vote for someone else are doing so for the greater good of mankind. As ~half the voting population will probably vote for Bush that means every second person walking down the street is a selfish bastard. It must be tough living in your neighbourhood with all those people. Me? I choose to believe that someone who had a different opinion than mine isn’t stupid because of it. Hey, you never know. I might just learn something from them if I can get past stereotyping them. Otherwise, all Muslims are terrorists, all gays are flaming, and all 19 year olds can’t tell their ass from a hole in the ground because they are ignorant louts. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/22 "2004-09-03T13:47:05Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Me? I choose to believe that someone who had a different opinion than mine isn’t stupid because of it. Hey, you never know. I might just learn something from them if I can get past stereotyping them. Otherwise, all Muslims are terrorists, all gays are flaming, and all 19 year olds can’t tell their ass from a hole in the ground because they are ignorant louts. Kudos! This is an **Uzi** with whom every young person should be armed! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/23 "2004-09-03T14:21:01Z")
> [@MrTuffPaws](#): > > 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. People like this really piss me off. And I encounter them across the political spectrum. Our servicemen and women aren’t paid mercenaries. They are proud members of **our** Armed Forces. And we should treat them with the respect they’re properly due. Agree or disagree with the war, it surely is **our** war. The men and women in the Middle East are doing our bidding, and some of them are coming back in boxes. ---
**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 3, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/24 "2004-09-03T16:36:05Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > What I gather from the sarcasm in your post is that those who would vote for Bush are selfish bastards while those who would vote for someone else are doing so for the greater good of mankind. As ~half the voting population will probably vote for Bush that means every second person walking down the street is a selfish bastard. It must be tough living in your neighbourhood with all those people. Can you honestly tell me that the majority of people out there don’t care FAR more for their own interests than for the good of the many? Zell Miller said that Bush would protect HIS family from terrorists. He made no mention of the other American families that have to lose members in exchange for that safety. Cheney sided with Bush with the Protection of Marriage Act. But surprise surprise! he spoke out against it afterwards because it threatened the freedoms of his own daughter. Funny how most issues don’t concern people unless it affects them personally. I, on the other hand, feel sickened that there are 1000 families out there who have lost members as the result of a war that Bush not only had been planning long before taking office, but used the serious War on Terror as an excuse for doing so. > [@Uzi](#): > > and all 19 year olds can’t tell their ass from a hole in the ground because they are ignorant louts. Fuck you entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/25 "2004-09-04T05:05:15Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > Can you honestly tell me that the majority of people out there don’t care FAR more for their own interests than for the good of the many? Of course they do. Why would you expect otherwise? Here is a hint: everything you do is in your own self interest. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be doing it. > [@](#): > > Funny how most issues don’t concern people unless it affects them personally. It is funny how there are so many issues that no one person could possibly keep track of them, or even make the attempt to solve them all if they could. It is even funnier how when the issue is your issue it gains such an importance that you feel others should leap into action to correct it. And if they don’t they are somehow inferior in your eyes for not seeing the importance you perceive it to have. Rather selfish of you to think that everyone should drop what they are doing and cater to you, isn’t it? > [@](#): > > I, on the other hand, feel sickened that there are 1000 families out there who have lost members as the result of a war that Bush not only had been planning long before taking office, but used the serious War on Terror as an excuse for doing so. Well, I feel sickened by many things, too. I work in a country that has an average wage of just over $500US a year. Population is growing faster than GDP. The only reason the wage is that high is because of oil production which accounts for ~95% of exports. That production is falling. This isn’t Saudi Arabia with vast oil reserves. Eventually there will be no more oil. People will get very poor, very fast as that happens. Already in the north part of the country the rebels are causing many problems. Hundereds have died in the fighting. Yet you probably don’t hear about that, do you? I fear for this country in the future and for the friends I will leave behind when I finally go home to Canada for good. There can’t be a good outcome when there are few resources and far to many people to support with the little left available. Should I think you selfish because you don’t know about this particular problem and are focusing on some minor (in comparison) issue like who is for, or against, gay marriage (an issue which, at worst, I am neutral on)? Nope, you aren’t here. Why should you know, or care, about this? > [@](#): > > Fuck you entirely. You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/26 "2004-09-04T05:16:45Z")
> [@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 belive this aligns as an evil-lawful Libertarian. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/27 "2004-09-04T05:38:01Z")
> [@Muad'Dib](#): > > I belive this aligns as an **evil-lawful Libertarian**. I don’t know what this means…but it sounds pretty cool! ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/28 "2004-09-04T07:25:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Muad’Dib > I belive this aligns as an evil-lawful Libertarian. > [@spooje](#): > > I don’t know what this means…but it sounds pretty cool! That would be **‘lawful-evil’** , not **‘evil-lawful’**. Sheesh, wannabe geeks!:rolleyes: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/29 "2004-09-04T08:04:21Z")
**Soapbox** , the ‘I’m giving up on America and moving to Europe’ thing is not unique for 19-year-olds. Likewise, flauting a lack of concern for other people is not uncommon among selfish jerks. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/30 "2004-09-04T14:40:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Zell Miller said that Bush would protect HIS family from terrorists. My God. Are you SERIOUS? Well, I’m not going to vote for a guy who would protect his own family from terrorists. > [@](#): > > He made no mention of the other American families that have to lose members in exchange for that safety. With such broad leaps in logic like that, you really should train for the next Olympics. > [@](#): > > Cheney sided with Bush with the Protection of Marriage Act. But surprise surprise! he spoke out against it afterwards because it threatened the freedoms of his own daughter. Cheney is not the first politician to tow the party line even if he doesn’t agree with it 100%. The nature of our two party system is that candidates run under a banner (D or R). And if they don’t tow the party line, they risk losing the financial backing of their party. John McCain is one of the few independent minded politicians who isn’t afraid to vote against, and publicly denouonce, his party’s policies. > [@](#): > > Funny how most issues don’t concern people unless it affects them personally. Truer words were never said. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/31 "2004-09-04T14:45:21Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > > [@Uzi](#): > > > > and all 19 year olds can’t tell their ass from a hole in the ground because they are ignorant louts. > > Fuck you entirely. Yeeesh! While this thread is dealing with _whooooshes_ . . ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/32 "2004-09-04T17:09:27Z")
Bawahahahaha Tom… I think it is an under 40 thing myself… ---
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/33 "2004-09-04T18:00:29Z")
> [@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. A true Democrat - do what’s best for me right now instead of doing what’s best for the Country :rolleyes: Please do not mistake me for a Republican, they may be more logical and honest, but they have not done any better. ---
**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 4, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/34 "2004-09-04T19:49:33Z")
> [@Blown & Injected](#): > > A true Democrat - do what’s best for me right now instead of doing what’s best for the Country :rolleyes: Please do not mistake me for a Republican, they may be more logical and honest, but they have not done any better. Way to go not reading the whole thread. World Eater didn’t get the sarcasm at first either. But I’m pretty sure my reply to him is visible to anyone who enters the thread, not just him. ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/35 "2004-09-04T20:23:54Z")
> [@Greathouse](#): > > 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. Well, in many places now, you will touch a screen in the polling place. There are grave doubts that this is “voting” in the traditional sense of indicating your preference for a candidate for office in a manner that will actually be recorded and counted. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707/36 "2004-09-04T21:25:20Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Our servicemen and women aren’t paid mercenaries. They are proud members of **our** Armed Forces. And we should treat them with the respect they’re properly due. > > Agree or disagree with the war, it surely is **our** war. The men and women in the Middle East are doing our bidding, and some of them are coming back in boxes. Amen. You and I are way apart politically, but we are united on this, wholeheartedly. We disagree on who is best suited to lead our country in resolving this war, but I don’t doubt your sincerity on this.\* I just wish certain segments (NOT ALL) of the right would refrain from treating any dissent from current policy as treason. \*Of course, I regard your choice for President as dreadfully misguided, but then, so do you regard mine. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-being-compassionate/262707.md?page=1)