If you could teach everyone in the world one concept, what concept would have the biggest positive impact on humanity?

[laly520]

[MrOracle]

Self-responsibility.

YOU, and ONLY YOU, are ultimately responsible for the outcomes of your life. Sure, you will experience adversity and even tragedy from time to time - EVERYONE does - but the vast majority of the outcomes in your life, big and small, are a direct result of your OWN decisions and behavior.

Your decisions and your behavior have consequences - good ones and bad ones. You largely cannot escape these consequences, and most consequences are pretty predictable.

Far too many people have been coddled and protected from the realities of the world by ignorant or entitled parents, and as a result, they believe they are free of the consequences of their decisions. Such people usually end up living very hard lives, and very often do a lot of damage to other (innocent) people along the way. Tons of them end up in prison or dead at a young age.

I just saw a video of a young couple in a car that had been pulled over - the guy driving was speeding significantly and had multiple tickets for doing so. The cop gave him his ticket and he drove off - and got about a mile up the road before he rear-ended a semi-truck doing nearly 100 MPH and killed them both. Clearly that guy hadn't learned about self-responsibility and as a result, he killed himself and his girlfriend, and I'd be shocked if he was even 21 years old.

I could give you a hundred more examples, but we all see this every day. People who feel completely entitled to do whatever they want and think they are immune to consequences, and then are surprised when the consequences show up. It's even worse when they hurt innocent people in the process.

As a society, we used to do much, much better, but moral relativism (the false concept that nothing is actually "right" or "wrong", so you can just do whatever you want) has done tremendous damage to western society.

[MrOracle]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Npwzs3G8Rso

Here's the video.

[Ladsin2]

I'm not sure how to the word the concept... I'll call it personal responsibility. One of the greatest pieces of advice I got was in the form of the Serenity Prayer. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." I found this excerpt from Jordan Peterson to be quite insightful. "I think that generally people have things that are more within their personal purview that are more difficult to deal with and that they're avoiding and the way they avoid them is by adopting pseudo-moralistic stances on large scale social issues so they look good to their friends and and neighbors."

Jordan Peterson Calls Out The "Pseudo-moralistic Stances" Of Activists Q&A (youtube. com)

I concur. I think people should take care of themselves, their families, and their neighbors in that order. People take great moralistic stances about how we should treat people in countries we've never met, that they will never meet, and that they'd abhor to see on their front lawn, but let their own neighbor starve because they don't care to help them.

[supercutebutt]

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to buy the world a Coke
And keep it company
That's the real thing

[its_amelia_c]

To be kind and respectful to others!!! It costs absolutely nothing but would easily make a huge impact and difference in the world!

[DrPepper12]

How to evaluate sources like a historian. It takes training and discipline like any other worthwhile activity.

I would discuss primary sources, secondary, tertiary as well as comparative, inquisitory, compilations, persuasive, journalistic, narrative, formal, colloquial and other types and purposes of writing and communication.

Then we would learn how to SOAPStone. We would analyze the sources for the criteria in the image above. SOAPStone is ESSENTIAL to evaluating sources.

If everyone could do this and develop the "habits of mind" to REALLY evaluate the fire hose of information we get every day the nonsense were fed today would stop cold. You can't sell snake oil to a prepared, informed consumer.

[Dongie]

🤣🤣🤣😂😅😏

[MisterWack]

DrPepper12, I never learned that honestly. Great method as a history teacher yourself, awesome 👍👍👍👍👍👍

by the way History was always my favorite.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

Holy shit, my history teacher gave us this same paper. I bet I could even find it. Although he missed out on what would have been one of the most legendary abbreviations ever.

Wow

And this is a good answer too.

[Ladsin2]

Dr Carrier proposes using Baye's Theorem for evaluation historical claims. Any thoughts on that?

[MisterWack]

How To Think For One’s Self.

In my schools they taught us not what to think, but how to think with the basics. You have a statement like “Pens Are Better Overall Than Pencils” then you’d be handed differing articles and you’d highlight 3 colors. 1) Your side of the argument 2) The other side of the argument 3) Both / Contrasting
You’d have to quote strong reasons why your side is right then quote strong reasons why their side is right then you are left with a conclusion did your opinion change or is there a middle ground to be found?
This concept can be used on products, politics, beliefs, etc.
Now this is just the basics though I think it gets my point across.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

And the adverse effect of this process, for contrasting then 😆. Such a process is at risk of being applied everywhere, in areas that do not require reason but emotion instead.

[MisterWack]

@Maybe_Maybe_not Well yeah people need to do their own research in a way that is research.
Facts don’t care about your feelings, set them aside and tackle topics head on.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

ummm maybe I was too abstract here but I don't have a good rephrasing in mind lol

[MisterWack]

@Maybe_Maybe_not Gotcha, gotcha sorry sorry.
Obviously sometimes emotion out weighs reasoning, empathy & teaching empathy is important.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

ah, we're on point now, nice :)

[MisterWack]

@Maybe_Maybe_not Sometimes I’m off my game is all 🤣

[NathanDavis]

the concept of perspective... plus the ability to be able to grasp and to reach true understanding of what different points of view actually imply

humanity is vastly diverse and dynamic and also spread around the world, and not everyone is just like you nor seeks or sees the same things as you do or the way you do it

and we know this, we just choose to remain blind to it, and we close up to anything or anyone different and many times we only see what it is convenient and comply to what benefits us, but not others...

"as long as it's not happening to me I don't really have a problem with it" is one of the things that has had so much negative impact on humanity...

[PreferNot2Say]

Stop listening to celebrities and main stream news. Do your own research and read independent journalists. It will help people from just attacking the other side based on irrelevant people's opinions and from those two sources that's all they are is opinions.

Then we as citizens can unite more and solve some of the problems that we have as a nation. Things like mental health, homeless vets, then all homelessness. Things that touch everyone's lives either directly or someone that we love.

When we unite and work towards shared goals, we win as a nation. When we are divided, we all fail.

[MicahRaine]

I think the concepts of selfless-ness/ and forgiveness would be most impactful, in that order.

People commit violent crime, embezzlement, start wars, etc etc out of selfishness. If people were more selfless everyone would be happier. There are few things as rewarding as helping another person, especially when you get helped in turn.

People commit suicide, mass-shootings, beatings, etc because they don't understand the concept/practical life-changing application of giving and receiving forgiveness.

Fun facts about giving and receiving forgiveness:

• It improves/balances your immune system, cholesterol, blood pressure, and sleep.
• Decreases pain, anxiety, and depression.
• Increases "happy" hormones such as serotonin and oxytocin.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

I would teach people the relationship between loving yourself and having empathy. I guess personal strength. If more people had that, we wouldn't have most of the problems we have today.

Most of the ways the companies and governments take advantage of us is rooted in people not believing in themselves.

[Ladsin2]

Do you think empathy is always good?

[Telekinetic-Potato]

@Ladsin2 if you have the discipline not to be controlled by your emotions yes. Empathy can be summerized loosely as the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes. You can't really pass judgement properly without doing this.

A detective needs empathy to understand a criminals motive, a businessman needs empathy to understand how customers view their product, a manager needs it to understand how hard to push the workers and hire the right people.

Just try it in your everyday life. Even if it pisses you off and feels weird, try to care about the other persons perspective even if they're a bad person. You'll instantly become much more powerful. Especially when it comes to communication.

[Ladsin2]

The first statement was the most interesting to me, "You can't really pass judgement properly without doing this." It made me immediately think of a judge in a criminal case. Who should he feel empathy for? The Defendant? The Victim? Both? How would this work? I score somewhat low on empathy scores, but I think it likely makes me more judicious as empathy seems to lead to a lack of clarity for many people.

I also think empathy and sympathy have been used to cause most of the heinous acts throughout history. Empathy for your enemies is villainy to your friends for example.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

@Ladsin2 "Empathy for your enemies is villainy to your friends" this is the kind of logic that comes from practicing empathy for only one side or not possessing discipline over the emotional response to a situation.

A judge needs to have empathy for both sides. They need to look at both sides and understand the thought processes which brought them to where they are.

A person who commits a vile act for one reason might act again where for another reason might be well enough to let their punishment simply be restitution to the victim of some kind.

For example. Say someone was speeding. Someone with empathy can understand the guy was caught speeding taking his wife to the hospital and make a determination instead of applying the law in a literal and unintended way.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

Or maybe a better example. You might be trying to reach someone and they do not get back to you in a timely mannar. Your emotional response might be to say they obviously don't care to get back to you. You might take it personally and hold a grudge. But if empathy is used you'll use more context clues. Maybe they've genuinely been busy. You'll pickup the tone in their voice easier thinking this way instead of developing confirmation bias.

It can be an uncomfortable way to look at things but it's rewarding and just.

[Ladsin2]

That seems more to me like a "reasonable person standard" than empathy. As I understand it empathy is the act of... inhabiting the mindset of another person. Sharing the feelings and emotions of that person. I don't want the judge to empathize with my wife's murderer. I don't care if he had a hard childhood and does drugs. I want vengeance, but I'd settle for "justice" as we've offloaded our propensity for justice to third party arbiters/ judges. Empathizing with criminals leads to victims being slighted. I don't see how it couldn't.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

@Ladsin2 of course you don't want that. But it's what makes justice possible.

Even if you give someone the death penalty you must do so with love for that person as a fellow human being.

[Ladsin2]

What do you think Justice is? Why do you have to feel empathy for a criminal to serve justice?

[Telekinetic-Potato]

@Ladsin2 OK, I'll put it like this. If a starving, homeless child steals an apple and some bread from a farmers market does that person deserve the same punishment that a rich person running a pyramid scheme on old people deserves. Or what about a full grown man who knows better robbing a corner store?

[Ladsin2]

That's what I'd call a reasonable person standard. I may feel empathy for the starving kid, but I don't think it's necessary to use it. Same reason we don't prosecute people stealing loaves of bread and water from stores during a hurricane... A reasonable person faced with that scenario would likely act in a similar manner. A reasonable person who had a rough childhood would not then decide to throw rocks off the freeway causing a 10 car pileup and multiple deaths. Again, I don't think empathy for the criminal is necessary in this case as it's unjust for the victims.

I think that elucidates the differences in our opinions on the topic. Any last points you think are important before we wrap up?

[Telekinetic-Potato]

@Ladsin2 just that what you're using to come to that conclusion is empathy whether you realize it or not. From a certain point of view. It's illogical. The rules were broken.

[Ladsin2]

You don't think it's logical to allow for extenuating circumstances based on a reasonable person standard? I'd not agree with that. It's an acknowledgement that the law isn't necessarily the most just option at any given time. We know that because our founders broke the law forming their own country. Our tradition grew out of common law which was heavily influenced by christianity and Jesus healed on the Sabbath even though it was against the law. We have mens rea and nolo contendere which are restrictions on the law too. That only seems logical to me.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

@Ladsin2 right but the only reason we make exceptions for these situations is because empathy allows us to see the situation clearly. The British government was abusing it's power and the colonists had enough, Jesus sacrificed in any area he could in order to help others. As much as we don't want a simple merchant to have their things stolen, we also acknowledge the child's suffering. That empathy is what opens us up to looking at both sides. Since by default, we would only be thinking about the selfish the if taking from the merchant, a group of thugs revolting against their country and an arrogant man casting the rules of his own people aside as if he were more important.

Even if you don't recognize you're exercising it, empathy is required to see a situation clearly and avoid treating a situation unfairly.

Perhaps you're more empathetic than you realise. I wouldn't consider someone who looks at a situation from multiple point of views unempathetic. If anything, I'd say that's it's definition.

[Ladsin2]

Thanks for the conversation!

[Telekinetic-Potato]

@Ladsin2 same here!

[BadApple69]

I would say that if everyone would reach out and help one another, feed those who are hungry, cloth those who need clothes…that the world would be an amazing and wonderful place.


Now the reality… the guy next to you wants to stab you and take everything you have on your dying body.. the reality…. Human nature isn’t a nice thing and some or most of us being civilized just makes more victims for those who are not.

[BadApple69]

Update: sorry for the reality check! Had a bad day when I wrote this and have seen the worst of humanity way too many times in my career.

[Juxtapose]

The concept of being 100% responsible for your own actions.

People make excuses way too much and I think people taking control of their own lives would do a lot of good for the world. No more waiting for a God or somebody to help you, you do it your damn self.

[nawtee_me]

No matter the situation there is always two sides. There is the one side and the other side but the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
If people would look at the part they play before blaming everyone else then we all would see that we are more alike than different. We are all flawed….

[MisterWack]

Exactly, we should all strive towards the middle not end up on a “you are with me or against me” sort of crap. Have an actual discussion, look at the facts that we have, and go by both sides to reach a conclusion.

[sawno]

Probably to not blindly believe authorative sources. Teachers can be wrong, the media lies all the time, etc. If everyone checked and contrasted with less mainstream sources and did that well we'd be much better off.

[exitseven]

I would teach people personal responsibility.

[supercutebutt]

Lol!

You were on government assistance for two years. And then you stormed the Capitol.

[exitseven]

@supercutebutt Yes , I collected unemployment when the government purposely deleted my job during Covid. The government was to blame and I should have gotten a lot more than what I did. I did not storm the capitol. I plan on being in DC on Jan5th to witness the historical inauguration of President Trump. I will post pix when I get back.

[supercutebutt]

Kamala will be there getting sworn in when you arrive. NO VIOLENCE!

[exitseven]

@supercutebutt Not the way I see it. You cannot polish a turd/

[Bricealan]

"YOU CAIN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT, BUT IF YOU TRY SOMETIMES, YOU MIGHT JUST GET WHAT YOU NEED"

[RubyFrench]

Love, Kindness and Compassion


.. Something the world needs more of

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

100% Personal responsibility in your personal life.

Blaming others or trying to find blame will never help you, only hurt you.

[Dargil]

Nothing comes without someone paying for it.

[Coden7]

Talk to the people you cross paths with while at the store or whatever. Give people a chance to share their perspectives face to face

[Anonymous]

the truth above all else regardless of feelings

eliminating lying would solve 99% of the world's problems immediately

[CB-Raido-Time]

God's Word Jesus Christ Is The Truth The Way And The Life The Bible.

[KostasKouvalis]

"Treat everyone equally. No one gets special treatment"

[Anonymous]

Free love and I don't mean sexualy I mean love and forgiveness for everyone.

[MrGSpotHer]

Just one then treat people as you want to be treated, karma is a real thing you know?

[Kelly6]

@laly520 World is long past to learn something

[Still-alive]

empathy is my #1

[IslaTheWitch]

critical thinking...

[Agape93]

Minding ones own business

[DJB72]

The Gospel. Make Disciples, not converts.

[Simslover92]

Compassion

[exitseven]

actually that is a really good answer.

[Simslover92]

Thanks!

[Dongie]

Christ is the only way.

[Aakash_Hangargi]

I am too negative to be positive

[eagle1951]

to love one another,

[Anonymous]

Forgiveness.

[morganherrel]

gratitude

[CubaPirate]

Tolerance

[slatyb]

God isn't real.

[TheCaller]

Mercy