I’ve been thinking lately about the continuousness of history. We often think of time as trending toward the positive, extending ever upward with progress, and differentiating us from people of the past. However, if we think of time without progress, as just a continuation of events, it reveals something of the similarity between ourselves and our ancestors.
Similarly, we tend to focus on the things that differentiate us from other people rather than our similarities. In fact, after slight inspection, we may find that we have more in common with other people than not.
If we consider that we live very similar lives as everyone else, that we all experience similar sufferings and joys, we may find an almost uncanny sameness between all people. Hierarchies dissolve, and we find that old men and babies, beggars and kings, are all eerily the same.
Realizing this, it is hard not to feel sympathy for others.
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