From: jds2@po.CWRU.Edu (John D. Specht)
Subject: Re: Benign magic spells (empathy?)
Reply-To: jds2@po.CWRU.Edu (John D. Specht)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 23:36:24 GMT


In a previous article, Tagi@cup.portal.com (Tagi Mordred Nagashiva) says:

Again Tagi writes and I complement him on his grace with English and respond:
>A Kashko quotes and writes, I respond to both here:
>
>In article <57104@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> mcmorris@vet.vet.purdue.edu (brandywine
>) writes:
>>
>>
>>	Well, yes, you have never seen my name before, but this is
>>something *I* can answer.  Empathy is dangerous business.  Think alot
>>before you start throwing empathic spells around.  As a natural
>>empath, it can be harmful and DANGEROUS to be able to feel another
>>person's feelings.
>
>
>Response to brandywine:
>
>I don't know what is so dangerous about empathy in comparison with
>INSENSITIVITY.  Now sure, the danger is differently DIRECTED.  I mean,
>with insensitivity the danger is to everyone ELSE (i.e. more than one
>person), where the empathy is only potentially dangerous to those who
>are unready to begin sensing what's going on around us.  
>	
I think there is a risk involoved with a sudden increase in empathy, in that
the subject will react to this positively or negatively. You should be willing
to take the responsibility (in part) for either result.
>A. Kashko:
>
>If it bothers you put a cut out in the spell so the level
>of empathy is just short of harmful. Or leave it out but give the
>person bespelled the knowledge that by perpetuating their hatred
>they damage themselves. Personally the type of people I would try it on
>are Nazis, KKK, and those people who regard the unemployed/disabled/poor
>as sub/nonhuman.
>
>
>Response:
>
>This seems overly intrusive and smacks of mind control.  'Giving knowledge'
>sounds pretty high-handed.  I suggest an 'increase awareness spell'.  That
>saves us from worrying about what the 'reality' is and, when it bounces
>back (which these kind of meddlesome spells always do) we get a shot
>of AWARENESS, rather than DOGMA.  What some people classify as 'hatred'
>is simply the resurfacing of repressed anger, rage.  It is healthy to
>release this shit, even if some don't like what it restimulates.
>
I have to agree on the awareness part, but there are those who would not
notice the effect of something so subtle. Most problems of insensitivity are
rooted in a previous experience, and weakening the importance of this
experience, and heightening another, more positive replacement, would be 
more effective. This would still provide for release, but would get at the 
root of the repressed feeling which causes the problem.
>	
>A. Kashko:
>
>I would like to know such a spell too, although it would be
>fun to develop it for oneself. Would it be designed to affect
>individuals, groups, or attatch a copy of itself to anyone passing through a 
>given public place (shoppping centre, high street, etc), or, perhaps the
>nicest, to be transmitted like a virus.
>
>
>Response:
>
>'Nicest'?  What if I WANT to be an ignorant, insensitive zombie?  Seems
>like you are fucking me over rather royally.  Whatever happened to
>the freedom to be stupid???
>
The freedom to be stupid is alive and well, I assure you. Ignorance likewise.
:(
>I'm not trying to tell YOU what to do, but your words strike me as very
>hypocritical.  You seem to be angry that the KKK and such perpetrate
>their brand of 'morality' and you yet are quite willing to do the same
>with your own 'correct' path.
There is no one true path. I always try to follow three or four to maximize
my odds of picking the right one. :)
>
>If you don't want to get really hurt by this, I suggest you simply
>focus on YOURSELF and then set a 'nice' example.  I've heard that
>this is how people learn best, rather by COERSION.
I think there is a slightly more direct approach, but it requires a bit
of empathy to begin with: Understand the person that you want to change,
I mean, really get a feel for what's driving all of their reactions. Then,
if you still feel you need to change them, at least you have the tools to
do it. If you don't feel you need to change them, you've learned something.
>
Flame when ready! 

Paul
-- 
jds2 	John D. Specht (Heads I win; Tails you lose.) Virtual reality is life!
ae358	Paul Bort (It ain't pretty being easy) Spring: Forces, Coiled again!
If you want to save an endangered species, hug a romantic.
Love is the triumph and pleasure and joy and light that makes life bearable.