Why is there so little empathy in our societies?

[sbrothy]

I may have mentioned this before, but this latest chapter is both scary and a little funny (YMMV). I know I can only speak for myself and the country I live in but it has started to become a pattern. A disgusting and abhorrent pattern. I cannot walk past a child crying, or ignore someone who falls and needs help. Lately (after >5 incidences with children), I've begun keeping in the background to see if anyone else reacts, but surprise! Noone does! People cooly walk past an 8-year old girl standing alone and crying. Last time I waited more than 5 minutes and watched more than 10 adults (and pairs) walking past and ignoring her standing and crying outside a cheap grocery store!

In the end I engaged and asked what was wrong. She couldn't find her mother! Now I already knew it had been more than 5 minutes and upon asking her I couldn't get a straight answer (children and time!).

So I did what most normal people would do in this situation: I called the police. Unfortunately there was a festival in the town in that particular weekend so I got told that they hadn't the time and then they hung up (?!!!).

What to do, what to do. I was p..... off so I called again. I told them: "I'm a 50 year old man standing outside a grocery store with an 8 year old crying girl who can't find her mother. I'm gonna bring her home with me and then we're gonna find a solution. How do you think that sounds?".

Long pause.....

"That didn't sound right. If I stayed there they would send a car."

20 minutes later (TWENTY MINUTES LATER!) a police car arrived. I wasn't holdnig the girls hand, heck I wasn't even close to her, but she was more or less jerked away from me and they never for a minute lost eyecontact with me. It was obvious what they thought of me! I didn't get as much as a comment. She was ushered into the car and then they took off.

If that was what it took then so be it, but man I was p..... off for the rest of the day!

 

[puc]

That is a sad story.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

We still have caveman brains

 

[dlu]

they never for a minute lost eyecontact with me

'A good deed never goes unpunished' is the common saying.

 

[Borg]

When I was a teenager, I was propositioned by a man who was at least 40. I was scared to death, told him no, and managed to leave. When I told a cop about it later, he acted like it was no big deal with a side order of "not my job". For me, it's definitely a change that they gave you the stink eye. Maybe in another 50 years they'll do their jobs like they should.

 

[fresh_42]

I remember looking after a young neighbor boy once because his parents didn't have time, and I was available. It wasn't a big deal. Then he needed to use the toilet for a bowel movement. When he was finished, I asked if he could clean himself up; he said no. So, out of necessity, I took care of it myself. It certainly wasn't pleasant. My biggest worry was that he might tell his parents later that I had touched his bottom. I headed that off by telling them about it myself. Fortunately—and to my great relief—the mother’s reaction was just as matter-of-fact as the incident itself. She simply remarked that now I could see what she had to deal with all the time.

It seems as though the "new normal" consists of the "old normal" plus an insurance policy confirming that it was normal. In your case, the police served as that insurance policy.

 

[sbrothy]

I remember looking after a young neighbor boy once because his parents didn't have time, and I was available. It wasn't a big deal. Then he needed to use the toilet for a bowel movement. When he was finished, I asked if he could clean himself up; he said no. So, out of necessity, I took care of it myself. It certainly wasn't pleasant. My biggest worry was that he might tell his parents later that I had touched his bottom. I headed that off by telling them about it myself. Fortunately—and to my great relief—the mother’s reaction was just as matter-of-fact as the incident itself. She simply remarked that now I could see what she had to deal with all the time.

It seems as though the "new normal" consists of the "old normal" plus an insurance policy confirming that it was normal. In your case, the police served as that insurance policy.

At least that I can understand. It's just normal human business. But you were right to be worried. Especially in these times.

 

[sbrothy]

'A good deed never goes unpunished' is the common saying.

Luckily I'm a gluttton for punishment, which I think is another saying. Still though...