Proactive Compassion?

   In a discussion with friends recently the concept of Proactive Compassion came up: acting to prevent suffering.

   I’ve been thinking about this concept for a number of days now and, while I haven’t come to any concrete conclusions, I do have a number of thoughts.

   Let’s say I see someone about to step off a sidewalk and notice a bus coming at them. I reach out and grab their arm and keep them getting struck by the bus.

   That would be an example of Proactive Compassion because I am preventing the suffering of the pedestrian (and the bus driver too).

   But not all acts of preventing suffering are as cut and dried.

   What if I am concerned about a friend’s alcohol or drug use? I have seen what happens to people who end up addicted and the destruction it causes in their lives and those of their family.

   I could talk to the family members and explore the idea of committing the addicted friend to a rehab facility. At first glance that may appear to be the way to prevent suffering, but would it? With drug and alcohol addiction, people rarely recover successfully if they are doing it for someone other than themselves.

   Not only that, but, committing someone involuntarily to an institution infringes on their right to self-determination.

   And the concept of self-determination is where “proactive compassion” gets hung up.

   The moment that I start imposing my ideas of right and wrong, or healthy and unhealthy, on someone else, I need to start examining my own motivations.

   Am I doing this for them – to prevent their suffering – or am I doing it for me (to make me feel good about myself as a hero)?

   What about in the case of crime? Let’s say I have been the victim of a theft. The police got involved, but they were unable to gather sufficient evidence to prosecute the criminal. I feel the desire for retribution and revenge, but know that I would get arrested if I got involved in vigilante justice.

   So I decide I am concerned about future victims of the person who harmed me. I could put up posters to inform others of this person’s bad acts and, if I wasn’t sued for defamation or libel, I may be able to convince myself I am helping to prevent the suffering of potential unknown victims.

   But am I really? In this instance it appears as if I am still acting out of my anger rather than a true concern for others. I still am more interested in hurting the perpetrator than helping any imaginary victims.

   These scenarios are useful mainly in illustrating the importance of honestly assessing motivation. Any time I act in a way that affects another person it is important to evaluate my motivation.

   Am I more concerned about my feelings or someone else’s feelings?

   Do I need to impose order and control my environment to make me feel safe?

   Using self-interest to justify compassion is a slippery slope, unless the benefits to the suffering individual outweigh the benefits I may experience.

   While the idea of practicing compassion has much to commend it, the practitioner must also take responsibility for their actions, as well as the motivations behind those actions.

   Compassion must never be used as an excuse for taking away another’s rights, because doing that, even if I don’t agree with a person’s actions, is not compassion but oppression.

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   For more on compassion, go to: www.CompassionSpace.com.