Compassion conveys evolutionary advantage!
The recent trend in politics to "take the hard line" and to demonize social programs as evil is both heartless and stupid, as it weakens our society just when we want to rebuild our way out of this depression. Meg Whitman bases her gubernatorial campaign in California on tearing down the few social programs left, further destroying educational funding, cutting foster care, and slashing the state budget. Republicans refuse to raise a dime to keep medical care for poor children, preferring instead to prattle on about how "cutting regulations" can help business create jobs ( a familiar refrain from the Bush era).
Indeed some economists are aghast that Republicans are blocking the extension of unemployment benefits to those out of work for extended periods. They point out that not only is Unemployment Insurance helpful in keeping people from catastrophic spirals into poverty, it is an economic stimulus that produces immediate, direct and measurable benefits for the economy as a whole. See for example this column by Paul Krugman in the New York Times recently: Self-defeating Austerity.
Scientists also know the value of compassion. Recent studies bear out Darwin's conjecture that compassion conveys evolutionary advantage to a society. For a clear picture of the scientific studies supporting this view, Touch, Compassion and Evolutionary advantage. To learn more, Dr. Keltner is about to publish a book: Compassionate Instinct.
Naturally I refer the reader to the teachings of the Dali Lama for the ultimate insight on compassion as he articulates the value of compassion better than any other teacher alive today.
