26 images that remind you why it's worth getting up in the morning

regdog

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Thanks, Zoombie it was nice to shed happy tears :)
 

Zoombie

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They are but a tiny fraction of the billion good deeds done every day.

And people ask what is wrong with our species...
 

Maxinquaye

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I have to ask. Did people cheer the killer? Did people rally in his defence? Did people go down to that school and yell "right on!"? Did most of your friends and acquaintances nod and compare which bullet, full metal jackets or dumdums would have been more efficient in ripping up those kids?

Of course not. Everyone reacted with revulsion. Rightly so. So, why is that evil man representative of humanity? Is he not just the aberration, the exception to the rule that shows that overall humanity is decent and kind and compassionate?

Look at the outpouring of sympathy. Go and watch the opening minutes of "Love actually". Humanity is defined by love, kindness, and compassion. The ones that say it is not has just put up a guard to shield from those momentary episodes when most of us behave like arse-holes to one another.

We flare, behave badly, but those flares are not indicative of whole lives. We are not defined by our low moments. We may choose to focus on the low moments and declare someone an arse and never deal with them again.

But nobody is an arse 100 per cent of the time. My bet is that most aren't that even 10 per cent of the time. Most people are pretty decent, at most times.

Just look at what happened yesterday, and tell me that the people reacting celebrate the violence - which they would if the violence, meanness and wickedness was what defined them. My bet is that you can find nobody that wasn't revolted by what happened yesterday.
 
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Don

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Damn, Max, another home run. Great statement.
 

Celia Cyanide

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I have to ask. Did people cheer the killer? Did people rally in his defence? Did people go down to that school and yell "right on!"? Did most of your friends and acquaintances node and compare which bullet, full metal jackets or dumdums would have been more efficient in ripping up those kids?

Of course not. Everyone reacted with revulsion. Rightly so. So, why is that evil man representative of humanity? Is he not just the aberration, the exception to the rule that shows that overall humanity is decent and kind and compassionate?

Look at the outpouring of sympathy. Go and watch the opening minutes of "Love actually". Humanity is defined by love, kindness, and compassion. The ones that say it is not has just put up a guard to shield from those momentary episodes when most of us behave like arse-holes to one another.

We flare, behave badly, but those flares are not indicative of whole lives. We are not defined by our low moments. We may choose to focus on the low moments and declare someone an arse and never deal with them again.

But nobody is an arse 100 per cent of the time. My bet is that most aren't that even 10 per cent of the time. Most people are pretty decent, at most times.

Just look at what happened yesterday, and tell me that the people reacting celebrate the violence - which they would if the violence, meanness and wickedness was what defined them. My bet is that you can find nobody that wasn't revolted by what happened yesterday.

It isn't people like that killer, or everyone's reaction to it, that destroy our faith in humanity. People being revolted by what happened does nothing to restore my faith in humanity. Sorry.
 

Satsya

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It isn't people like that killer, or everyone's reaction to it, that destroy our faith in humanity. People being revolted by what happened does nothing to restore my faith in humanity. Sorry.

Then if you don't mind my asking, what does destroy faith? In your case?
 

MarkEsq

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Then if you don't mind my asking, what does destroy faith? In your case?


For me, it would be working together to ban assault rifles while simultaneously campaigning for, and achieving, better access to mental health care.

ETA: Obviously, I read "destroy" as "restore."
 
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Maryn

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Amen, Mark. May it be so.
 

Snowstorm

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*wipes away tears* Thank you, Zoombie!

I have to ask. Did people cheer the killer? ... Of course not. Everyone reacted with revulsion. Rightly so. So, why is that evil man representative of humanity? ... Look at the outpouring of sympathy. Go and watch the opening minutes of "Love actually". Humanity is defined by love, kindness, and compassion. ...

We flare, behave badly, but those flares are not indicative of whole lives. ... But nobody is an arse 100 per cent of the time. My bet is that most aren't that even 10 per cent of the time. Most people are pretty decent, at most times.

Just look at what happened yesterday, and tell me that the people reacting celebrate the violence - which they would if the violence, meanness and wickedness was what defined them. My bet is that you can find nobody that wasn't revolted by what happened yesterday.

So beautifully stated, Maxinquaye! And so true.
 

Maze Runner

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Yes, thank you Zoombie, for posting this. I have no trouble understanding why one can lose faith in humanity. Just look around, every day there is another atrocity. But I cannot live like that. I would not want to get up in the morning if it were to just face another day of hopelessness. Our story is one of faith vs. fear, this is the story of man. Easy to give in to fear and hopelessness. Not so easy to fight to retain your faith in life, in the better instincts of man. I will not give up my faith without a fight. I fight every day for my faith in what is good in this world. That said, we all have a breaking point. Here's hoping that none of us find ours.
 
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Zoombie

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Well, we've got a pretty terrible system set up. We're programmed to look for the worst (because the worst is what you should be afraid of) and we culturally propagate the worst as fast as possible. So, the world seems bloodier than it is.

It's important, I think, to remember that that's the exception, not the rule. As other people have said: We're living in the least violent era in human history.

I mean...which isn't saying as much as I'd like, but it still shows that we are (in general) heading in a good direction.
 

Lyv

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Aw, thank you.

I've said this before and it's going to sound cheesy, but I am fortunate enough, since becoming visibly disabled a few years back, to have constant daily reminders of how compassionate and caring and just plain awesome the vast majority of people are.
 

Satsya

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For me, it would be working together to ban assault rifles while simultaneously campaigning for, and achieving, better access to mental health care.

ETA: Obviously, I read "destroy" as "restore."

S'okay. I realized later I should've asked both. I'd prefer to read a happy answer right now anyway, and I like yours a lot.

It was a good thread idea, Zoombie.