The craigslist thing is a low-level version of what Burrell said.
I do think that we as a society need to do much much more to reinforce the recognition that other people exist.
you know most people would not just leave someone they know hanging, but people on craigslist and freecycle do it ALL THE TIME. don't show up, don't return calls or emails - I think at the core it's because they don't fuly see the people at the other end that the are inconviencing as people - they don't know them, it's easy to just handwave it away.
But w/r/t the dude who shot up the gym -- he had problems that were so severe and so entrenched that being recognized in a friendly interpersonal way would not have helped. At all.
Oh yeah, I didn't mean to sound like all he needed was a friendly hello.
And I knew you didn't. You are right, that it would be a good thing if everyone extended themselves even a little outside of their bubble.
uh...huh...You definitely don't need a special container. I know that for sure. weird.
CNN is saying that John Hughes (the director/writer) died of a heart attack today.
Daaaaaaaamn. That's, like, my whole adolescence.
Maybe because it had a freaking lid?? It was raining.
The result of the Craigslist thing is that I stop trying to be helpful. I'm not rude, I answer e-mails, I do what I say I'll do. But I'm not going to go out of my way to do anything for someone who's 75% likely to blow me off.
