When you do something you know you're not supposed to, and it causes harm to someone else, and you don't face any consequences, what is the impact on you? Depending on the seriousness of the transgression, some people put it out of their minds and get on with their lives. Others are racked by guilt. In either case, when accountability doesn't follow a misdeed, many of us fear that it will, but we don't know when, how, or who will be administering it.
Did you read Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky? If not, I advise you :) It's great classic book that is revealing how young man who commited crime - murder, is fighting with his conscience. No one catched or punished him, but his conscience is killing him.
This said, I think that people at the top usually do not see that their actions may be directly the reason of many problems in the world. They will rationalize that "the world is like that" that it's "the poor people fault that they are poor". Those are world views created to some point to stop their conscience I think.
We need to embrace unconditional love toward one another and toward ourselves, because we want to be the kind of society that others see and say, "Hey, I want to be a part of that!" We need to show those at the top that we are ready to accept them back into the human fabric, that the accountability to which we hold them will be fair, proportional, humane, and based on a foundation of unconditional love.
Yes, it seems like this is the important thing, that most people would not think about. To let those at the top know, that they are also part of our society, so maybe they will feel responsibility too. But do you think that practically it could be make? Like on a basic level, what we wound need to do to show love? Create debates that would invite poor people and some people from the top maybe?
It's funny, Crime and Punishment was exactly the book I had in mind when I wrote that "others are racked by guilt."
I think you're right on when you say that people at the top usually don't see their actions as directly causing many of the problems in the world. On a smaller scale, I don't want to think about the adverse impact I'm having on marine life when I throw away a plastic straw, so I think all of us can empathize (if on a much smaller level).
I like your idea of creating debates or perhaps discussions involving people across class lines. Practically, as you say, it is hard to imagine. But I don't think it's impossible. Logistically I don't know how this kind of dialogue event might be coordinated. In the meantime, I think we can lead by example - showing care and compassion for all so that others see us building connections and, maybe, want to emulate us.
Thanks for your comment and thoughts!
"Great minds think alike", or something like that :D
Yes, exactly, that's good example. And it's important to both empathize but also educate about effects of our choices I think.
Some time ago I stumbled upon this channel on YouTube, which seems to create this kind of debates on micro scale, they are called "Middle Ground".
They are not debates actually, maybe meetings of few people, so other people on YouTube may watch it. But as I said - it's on a micro scale and gives you hope that that kind of debate could be possible.
Thanks for the article also. Glad that my comment was of some value here :)
Thank you, I will check out this channel. I'm intrigued!