What is Compassion? A Question of Humanity

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Note: Please order a drink, tea, coffee or food when attending this event in support of Royal Oak for letting us use the Roxy Room. Arrive at 6:45pm to order your drinks/food so that we can start the event at 7pm with minimum interruption. Thank you.

In moments of crisis, such as natural disasters, wars, or even small neighbourhood emergencies, some people step forward, offering time, food, shelter, goods, or money. Others walk by. Why? What compels one person to act with compassion and another to turn away?

This time, we turn our attention to compassion as a lens through which to examine the broader question of humanity. At first glance, compassion appears simple: a kind gesture, a willingness to help, a soft heart that cares for people in distress. But scratch the surface, and deeper questions emerge. What motivates our compassionate acts? Empathy, genuine care, a sense of duty, or perhaps guilt or a desire to be seen as good? And how far does our compassion extend? Only to those we know, or to strangers in other parts of the world?

Across philosophical traditions—both ancient and modern, Eastern and Western—compassion has been both revered and scrutinized. In Stoic philosophy, thinkers like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius encouraged care for others, but believed that true compassion should be guided by reason, not driven by unchecked emotion. In Confucian thinking, compassion is part of 仁 (ren / 인)—a kind of human goodness that grows from treating others well in our daily relationships and living up to our responsibilities. In more contemporary ethical discussions, particularly in the fields of humanitarian aid and social care, compassion is sometimes seen as a double-edged sword. While it can drive real change, it may also unintentionally reinforce dependency, overlook deeper systemic issues, or serve to comfort the helper more than support the person in need. This raises important questions: When we act compassionately, are we truly addressing others’ needs, or are we just responding more to our own?

This conversation isn’t just about compassion as an abstract concept. We’re exploring how it shapes our real life: Our relationships, choices, and the small and larger communities in which we live. How compassionate are we, truly? To whom, and under what conditions are we compassionate? And what difference does being compassionate make—or not make—in our small and larger communities.

Together, we’ll explore:

What is the nature of compassion? Is it inherently good?
Is not helping someone in need ethically wrong?
Can compassion ever enable harm or dependency?
Why are some people more inclined to help than others?
What role does self-interest play in acts of kindness?
Why should we (or shouldn’t we) care about strangers in other parts of the world?
Can you imagine living in a society without compassion?

Let’s gather to explore both the light and the shadow of compassion.

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