Bringing out the best in humanity

HS 2016.1.5

One of my favorite Far Side cartoons shows a seagull television reporter broadcasting the death of a fellow seagull lying in the foreground. In the background are the flaming remains of a jet crash – the result of the ill-fated seagull having gotten caught in one of its engines.

The humor of course comes because it reminds us that turnabout is fair play:  human deaths are rather insignificant to seagulls.

This cartoon also illustrates an important principle about our circles of concern. Speaking personally, I am most concerned about myself. Merely losing a glove can ruin my morning.  Next come family, close relatives and good friends. I’m not overly bothered if one loses a glove, but if sick, I want to know. Then come casual friends, co-workers, and neighbors, followed by those in my immediate community.  Continuing from there, fellow Americans generate more concern than those in other countries.  Finally, having a European ancestry, I am more interested in what is happening in Europe than in other parts of the world. 

Let me be clear that I’m not suggesting that this is either right or wrong. I’m just claiming that this is the way I seem to think, and I suspect that others are similar. Each person stands in the center of ever-increasing concentric circles of concern. The more closely related others are to us – genetically, geographically, occupationally, and otherwise, the more concern we show. Tragedies overseas certainly do not have the news value of ones nearby. 

Indeed, if we were not built that way, we would not live long.  A newborn baby knows only of its own needs and lets everyone within earshot know of them.  Given this natural tendency, children must be intentionally taught to develop concern for others.

These circles of concern are found in non-human animals as well.  Social animals such as prairie dogs, lions and honey bees will help their relatives, often in direct proportion to how genetically related they are.  For example, a prairie dog that sees a hawk will warn the others by barking, even though doing so draws attention to itself.  Similarly, it may be that our tendency to care for those closely related to us is genetically hardwired in us.

But humans also have a moral consciousness that other animals do not seem to have. This enables us to rise above our mere animal nature and broaden our circle of care to include more people.  Essentially, how do we answer, “Who is my neighbor?”  As I write this, ABC News is broadcasting the story of a young black man who is donating his kidney to a middle-aged white man he does not know in another part of the country.  Why?  What compels some of us to make such sacrifices?

Religion may be one factor.  Religion is certainly a mixed bag because it tends to group and partition people and that plays into our predisposition to focus only on those close to us.  However, in a recent conversation with a Chinese student, I asked what differences she found between her country and the U.S.  She said that people were pretty similar overall, but she was surprised by some she had met in West Michigan who voluntarily gave up their good lives here to live in tough conditions around the world ministering to others.  Such people often come from churches.

 Good leaders and role models can also serve to bring out the best in us.  One important role of our political leaders is to challenge us to be better people.  FDR reminded us that we had nothing to fear but fear itself. Kennedy challenged us to “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”  More recently GHW Bush spoke of a“Thousand Points of Light.”  His son spoke of “compassionate conservatism” while our current president encouraged us not to be divided as blue states and red states, but to work together.

Likely, the success of these leaders in bringing out our best fell far short of their aspirations.  But their intention to help us look beyond ourselves was a reflection of their own good character. They were all following the example and advice of Abraham Lincoln who implored a divided county to live by the “better angels of our nature”.

Friends, having an expansive view of “neighbor” does not come naturally or easily.  Therefore, looking to the future, I hope for leaders who will encourage us to live by the better angels of our nature.