Thursday Thirteen

1. My lack of empathy is showing. I have no particular feelings about the people missing in the Titan, the little explorer that 4 people paid anywhere from $40,000 to $250,000 to take a seat in, only to go down to see the wreckage of the Titanic. Now the Titan is lost, and the U.S. Coast Guard, ships from Canada, and another from France, are searching for the missing.

2. People like those lost in the Titan - sightseers who aren't doing anything that contributes to the value of society - put others at risk. Now all of those folks out searching for them are endangered. Boats sink. The average base salary for a member of the U.S. Coast Guard is $84,000 annually. Do you think they could afford to ride in the vessel they're searching for?

3. This lack of empathy is coming, I imagine, from being married to a firefighter. He put his life in jeopardy numerous times to save others. He was trained to do this, so he was able to remain (mostly) unharmed during his long tenure with the fire department. Most of the time, his work was unavoidable - houses go up in flames, people have car wrecks, stuff just happens. But sometimes you have someone with grandiose ideas who thinks they can scale a 10-story building (and then get stuck) or something. It's rather like driving your car through deep water or kayaking during a flood. It's a stupid thing to do and it puts other people at risk.

4. The good thing about this thing with the Titan is that it shows we still value human lives. Even I, dismissive as I am, would not leave the folks in the Titan to die if I had some capability to help. However, I do not, so I can sit back and be a keyboard judger. I should be more empathetic about the plight of these souls. They have people who love them, just like I do. I know I'm wrong to feel this way. Knowing that, I now must find the reasons why I am wrong and reverse course to retain my empathy towards others.

5. Here's why we save people*: human life possesses intrinsic worth and dignity, regardless of individual characteristics, accomplishments, or circumstances. Recognizing and honoring this value promotes a just and compassionate society.

6. Additionally, respecting and preserving human life acknowledges an individual's right to make choices, pursue goals, and experience a range of human experiences. By saving lives, we ensure that individuals have the opportunity to exercise their autonomy.

7. Saving human lives helps prevent unnecessary pain, suffering, and premature loss. Each life saved can potentially alleviate immeasurable grief for families and loved ones.

8. Honoring human life contributes to the pursuit of justice, fairness, and equality. Treating all lives as valuable ensures that each person has an equal opportunity to thrive and fulfill their potential.

9. By honoring and saving human lives, we set a moral precedent for others to do the same. We create a culture that values and protects life, fostering a society built on empathy, compassion, and cooperation.

10. Human life is intricately interconnected, and preserving it strengthens the fabric of society. Each life saved can contribute to the well-being and progress of communities, creating a positive ripple effect.

11. We have a duty to preserve and protect the lives of others. Acknowledging this responsibility implies a commitment to uphold the fundamental right to life for all individuals.

12. Every human life holds untapped potential and unique contributions that can enrich the world. By saving lives, we preserve the chance for individuals to make positive impacts, foster innovation, and create a better future.

13. Valuing and saving human life ensures the preservation of diverse cultures, traditions, values, etc. of other cultures and ensures the broad range of the human experience remains available to everyone. We live in a deeply interconnected world. Saving human lives contributes to the well-being of society as a whole, fostering social stability, harmony, and progress.

Just an FYI: this is how I learn and reinforce a value. I value empathy, I realized I was lacking it in this particular instance, I went searching for reasons to confirm not that I should lack it, but why I should instead feel more compassion toward the people in the Titan.

*ChatGPT helped.

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 813th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.