An Online Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I stumbled upon a web page, where people discussed a video and its author, who had published it on YouTube.
In this video, he claims evolution to be flawed and attributes his own unfortunate life situation to this. Evolution has by natural selection favored the hierarchy instinct, which makes people fight for a high position in a hierarchy, and as a consequence thereof some people at the top have lots of privileges, while others at the bottom suffer deprivation. While evolution itself cannot be described as flawed, because it is not concerned about people's pain, but only about he survival of the species, the consequences of natural selection on the wellbeing of individuals can be described as flawed from the subjective perspective of the underprivileged.
I stumbled upon a web page, where people discussed a video and its author, who had published it on YouTube.
In this video, he claims evolution to be flawed and attributes his own unfortunate life situation to this. Evolution has by natural selection favored the hierarchy instinct, which makes people fight for a high position in a hierarchy, and as a consequence thereof some people at the top have lots of privileges, while others at the bottom suffer deprivation. While evolution itself cannot be described as flawed, because it is not concerned about people's pain, but only about he survival of the species, the consequences of natural selection on the wellbeing of individuals can be described as flawed from the subjective perspective of the underprivileged.
He talks about his own deprived life situation, having little formal education, a minimum wage job, no friends, no relationship.
He speaks with agitation, and I watched the video with a lot of sympathy and compassion. I was touched, and I admit that I thought for a moment, how someone like him, but in my age group and with a university education could just be the clingy, needy guy for me.
So I got curious and went to YouTube, where he has published about 150 more videos. I started to watch another one. For about one minute, I was at a loss to even understand, what it was all about. He was calling a hearing-aid company for information. Being still under the impression of the guy being an unfortunate sensitive person, it took me a while, until I got aware, that it was a prank. He was misunderstanding the man from the hearing-aid company on purpose. That man most probably is an employee, who would have lost his job, had he lost his temper. That employee was probably fully aware of being the victim of a cruel prank, but had no choice except to go along.
He speaks with agitation, and I watched the video with a lot of sympathy and compassion. I was touched, and I admit that I thought for a moment, how someone like him, but in my age group and with a university education could just be the clingy, needy guy for me.
So I got curious and went to YouTube, where he has published about 150 more videos. I started to watch another one. For about one minute, I was at a loss to even understand, what it was all about. He was calling a hearing-aid company for information. Being still under the impression of the guy being an unfortunate sensitive person, it took me a while, until I got aware, that it was a prank. He was misunderstanding the man from the hearing-aid company on purpose. That man most probably is an employee, who would have lost his job, had he lost his temper. That employee was probably fully aware of being the victim of a cruel prank, but had no choice except to go along.
At that moment, all my temporary sympathy for the prankster dwindled. It was the victim of the prank, who deserved my compassion. After watching 5 minutes I skipped most of the video. When I watched the end, that employee had kept his countenance for 15 minutes. I admire his patience. As much as I have empathy with the victims of circumstances, I have more empathy with the victims of malice.
The alleged and pretending victim of social injustice was in reality a self-centered guy, completely absorbed in self-pity, cruelly letting out his own frustration by playing heartless pranks on others, who have never done anything wrong to him. (I am assuming, that he talked to a complete stranger at the hearing-aid-company, which of course I cannot know.) He complains about the lack of compassion of those people, who had been favored by evolution to have a better life than himself. But he has himself not the least compassion for the victim of his prank. It makes me shudder, how by a short video people including myself can get taken in so easily to have sympathy and compassion for someone, who does not deserve it.
But what saddened me the most was the complete insensitivity and lack of compassion, let alone outrage, elicited by his prank. On YouTube, there were dozens of comments congratulating him on his hilarious performance. On the other site, there are several hundred postings discussing his life situation. Some people just call him a loser who should do something instead of ranting, but some others melted in compassion.
The alleged and pretending victim of social injustice was in reality a self-centered guy, completely absorbed in self-pity, cruelly letting out his own frustration by playing heartless pranks on others, who have never done anything wrong to him. (I am assuming, that he talked to a complete stranger at the hearing-aid-company, which of course I cannot know.) He complains about the lack of compassion of those people, who had been favored by evolution to have a better life than himself. But he has himself not the least compassion for the victim of his prank. It makes me shudder, how by a short video people including myself can get taken in so easily to have sympathy and compassion for someone, who does not deserve it.
But what saddened me the most was the complete insensitivity and lack of compassion, let alone outrage, elicited by his prank. On YouTube, there were dozens of comments congratulating him on his hilarious performance. On the other site, there are several hundred postings discussing his life situation. Some people just call him a loser who should do something instead of ranting, but some others melted in compassion.
His pranks were mentioned less than 5 times and the most critical comment was calling him a hypocrite. It really puzzles me, how the same people, who pity him as a victim of a harsh and ruthless capitalistic society, are not at all taken aback by his own cruelty with his victim. Is only the prankster a hypocrite or are they also hypocrites?
I am not sure about what is the cause, but it seems that people have become very insensitive to cruelty and moral failures, as long as they are emotional, subtle and without visible damage. That prank alone may not affect a resilient employee, but if he were already mobbed, maybe it would be adding to the burn-out of the man. The prankster just cannot know, what damage he is doing.
I am not sure about what is the cause, but it seems that people have become very insensitive to cruelty and moral failures, as long as they are emotional, subtle and without visible damage. That prank alone may not affect a resilient employee, but if he were already mobbed, maybe it would be adding to the burn-out of the man. The prankster just cannot know, what damage he is doing.
Maybe the desensitization of being exposed by the media to the worst atrocities and agonies on a daily basis, not only of crime, but also of accidents and natural catastrophes, makes appear emotional cruelties as if they were only trifles.
I think that many people need to be resensitized to take responsibility for the pain, that they cause others. But they need not only take more responsibility for themselves. They should also reestablish higher standards in their expectations of others by being much more judgmental in holding others responsible. Tolerance for unacceptable cruelties is being an indirect accomplice in the cruelty to the victims.
I think that many people need to be resensitized to take responsibility for the pain, that they cause others. But they need not only take more responsibility for themselves. They should also reestablish higher standards in their expectations of others by being much more judgmental in holding others responsible. Tolerance for unacceptable cruelties is being an indirect accomplice in the cruelty to the victims.
