Consider the Other (and look for fishy puns)

Humans are, in almost all cases, capable of empathy.  We have needed this ability to feel ourselves what others feel – it keeps us alive, helping one another, not only other humans but other animals.  Sometime millennia ago, a human felt empathy for the hunger of a wild canine, and tossed it a piece of meat.  This happened several times, each time canine and human learning to trust each other a little more, until eventually a bond^A was formed – each creature, that might (if empathy had not been present to turn the tide) have fallen prey to the other, now trusted the other.  The two relied upon each other, helping one another to stay afloat in a dangerous world.

This is why empathy is helpful – it’s purpose, boiled down, (as I sea it) is to unite two or more creatures to aid mutual survival.

Sometimes, however, humans decide to wave off empathy.  This can also be necessary for survival – if you feel empathy for your food, it’s more difficult to eat it.¹  Soldiers are trained, often, to shut off their empathy – it’s a lot easier to assail and destroy an evil “enemy” than another human.  I intended to write more on the topic, but I choose right now to feel empathy for whomever may read this blog post – you have things to do, I’m shore, so I’ll dock a few lengthy paragraphs and clam up (am I punishing you with puns? Does it make you crabby?  Am I flippant?  Does it affect the net worth of this post?  Should I seal this up?  Do you want to lob me, or stir things up? (I am still impressed you used the last two as etymology on the quiz, Lena)).  Okay, I’m almost dophinately done now – I’m verboaten.

Oh, weight – don’t be shellfish, support better treatment of animals, because your empathy should make doing otherwise unbearable.

^A Sea how many water-related puns you can find that seam to connect to our Lobster piece from this week.  I hope to Foster more puns, so come up with your own literary pearls, because I’m running out – I may have hit a Wall(ace). 

¹For waterver reason, I struggle to eat meat for breakfast, but am a happy omnivore the rest of the day – maybe I feel more empathy in the morning, before the world around me demands that I drown my empathy “for practical purposes” (Wallace 665).