Is compassion a humans weakness or strength?

Question

both?

Answer 1

I see compassion as being a strength, hands down.  I know for a fact, I am a very compassionate person, and everyone I meet can attest to that.   But the human emotion of compassion means that you must step out and away from yourself to feel and understand someone else's heart ache or pain and suffering.  And we must put those situations ahead of ourselves no matter what we are going through.  

I see it  as a strength because so many people in this world are so self absorbed to even notice when someone around them just needs you to say something sensitive like, "I care" or "I am here for you." And if words can't express, give them that strong hug so they know you are there for them, or just be the shoulder they need to cry on.  

I like the story of how some people define a great date.  They say the person who goes on the date and spends the whole night talking about themselves feels like it was the greatest date they have ever been on.  The other person feels cheated, as they were not asked about their life, their passions, dreams, or anything.  The other person was too consumed (with no compassion) with themselves to even stop and listen to anything the other person had to say.  

Thanks for reading!

Answer 2

Compassion is an act motivated by empathy.

Both compassion and empathy likely are traits that benefit humans because humans rely upon social networks to survive as a species.

In general it should be considered a strength.

However it is possible to present individual cases where it is clearly not a strength for an individual or group of individuals.

These should be treated as such, separate cases that deviate from the general rule that compassion and empathy as human traits are a strength.

The answers is therefor both.

Answer 3

I think it's a strength.

I taught my daughter about compassion and empathy.

Two things I think you need in life to connect with your fellow human beings.

Answer 4

A strenght that becomes a weakness when abused!

Answer 5

It is definitely a weakness, but sometimes a needed weakness.

Here's what I mean:  men should act whether or not it will hurt others.  Why?  Men should act for themselves, because if they act properly and selfishly, they will benefit more people.  I'm not saying that man should just go around stealing and extorting and otherwise doing what they want without rules; I'm suggesting that man should act according to the highest moral, which is to act for himself and to hurt no one else's chance of being an individual in the process.

If man could live up to this ideal, there would be little need for compassion.  Still, compassion allows us to see the world through the eyes of others, and can give us the chance to focus our efforts towards a certain goal.  If, for example, I were to see another poet struggling, compassion would will me to come to his aid.  In this instance, compassion is still a weakness:  I have to deviate from my path to assist this poet.  However, this is the more selfish course of action, because if I were to allow this poet to fail, I would have one less poet to compete against, and my path would be less challenging, therefore making me less of a poet myself.

In this way, compassion is only a real weakness when it comes between you and the most selfish course of action towards your own perfection.

Answer 6

Unconditional love, the only real love, keeps going no matter what. When it feels weak, your ego is getting in the way.

Answer 7

It is a strength that can make you weak.

   Human compassion is such a beautiful and strong thing to realize and understand.  It's power it so much to take, it can make you weak.

Answer 8

Strength.  What else is there if we don't love eachother.  compassion is a component of that love.  

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

Compassion may compromise efficiency, but it heightens humanity.

Answer 11

It's both.

Answer 12

In life, one must realize that their strength is also usually their weakness.

Compassion is first and foremost a strength.  The bad part is bad people tend to abuse that and see opportunity to use this strength to take advantage of them.  (Make sense?)

Answer 13

Compassion for oneself first...then comes strenght

Answer 14

Strength and weakness just depend on the situation.  I would think that at least at one time it was a strength.  Otherwise why would we have this ability?  Just kind of popped up one day as a quirk and was damaging to our survival but it stuck anyway?  I doubt it.  I think compassion is our ability to empathise(or project feelings onto other objects) combined with our instinct to preserve life or help the helpless(perhaps this is all about raising children, who are helpless).  And this ability can be extended to fellow humans or even to animals.

I think if one sees it as a liability then that person is worried about being taken advantage of or carrying too much burden, either physically or emotionally.  But it's part of our survival as humans, to work together.  And I think things like compassion are part of the glue that holds groups of humans together.  And, sure it can backfire once in a while, like anything else.  Nothings perfect.  But I would think the balance is positive for our survival.

Answer 15

Both. Most decidedly, and utterly dependant on the context.  

Answer 16

Compassion is definately a human strength