# Why is it wrong to care more for our friends?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-wrong-to-care-more-for-our-friends/311597>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 8, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-wrong-to-care-more-for-our-friends/311597 "2005-07-08T15:32:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-wrong-to-care-more-for-our-friends/311597/21 "2005-07-10T16:15:25Z")

</div>

> [@continuity eror](#):
>
> I care more about my friends and family than other people. And yes, that is human nature.
> 
> However, I don’t consider the average Londoner to be any more “kin” to me than the average Iraqi. Why should I? I’ve never been to London, I only know a few people who have been there (none of whom live there currently), I’m not even Anglo-Saxon ethnicity wise. How is an average English person more of my “friend” than an average Iraqi? Both groups exist outside of the group of people who are collectively my friends and family. I can see having regional affinity–after all, if my hometown was bombed I’d be pretty upset about it even if none of my family was killed or hurt, because it would be traumatic for them and chances would be good that the bombing did directly affect someone in my “personal network.” But England? That’s totally out of my sphere. (Not to say I didn’t feel bad at all, I did, it just didn’t affect me as much as a bombing in my hometown or current city would. And god, I hate having to tack eleven billion disclaimers on every post.)
> 
> And like someone said, if you’re judging a people’s “worthiness” to be mourned by the relationship they have to America, why are there no tears for victims of violence in Africa, Eastern Europe, or Central/South America? There are millions of Americans who have ethnic or cultural ties to those areas, some of whom have lived here for a much shorter time and so maybe have more connection with their homeland than Anglo-Saxon Americans. Or does common culture mean nothing, and the only reason you “support” England is the fact that they’re allied with us right now?

It’s not ethnic/religious ties. I am not Anglo at all. I am an American & a Veteran; my ancestors were mostly Italian with some German/Irish. I am not christian, I am agnostic. My affinity to Britain is simply culture & Politics. For close to 100 years the Brits, Canadians & Australians have been our best allies in the world. This is not religious or ethnic. It is, when we’re down only a few nations consistently side with us. I really feel it is straightforward. I think we have been good about helping them and I think we should continue to do so.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-wrong-to-care-more-for-our-friends/311597.md?page=1)