Tragically, the attitudes and behavior motivated by these reactions to violence stir more of the humiliation and alienation that cause violence. Compassion is the healing emotion. Data show that we become physically sick, morbid, suicidal or eccentric, crazy, and dangerous when the compassionate part of our nature atrophies. A family low in compassion tends to be high in dominance, abuse, or neglect. A community low in compassion is high in alcohol and drug abuse, crime, and violence.
Violence is a failure of compassion.
Compassion provides children with a sense of inherent importance, value, worth, and equality a kind of Core Value that prevents recurring states of shame and powerlessness. States of powerlessness stimulate anger, hostility, and an urge for revenge. Humans are hard-wired to discover the self by caring about others. Accurate self-knowledge, a prerequisite of genuine power, is possible only with clear focus on our enormous capacity for healing, nurturing, growth, creativity, building, and compassion. Compassion is power.