People Can Change

ThePrincesTale "Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime". I've never heard this before but it's fantastic. Love this comic, it gives feels. On a less serious note, maybe there's some truth in the stereotype of alt-right dudes being neckbeards sitting in their mother's basement, lol. I think it's hard to be isolationist, not appreciate the common thread of humanity, and place utmost importance in national borders when you're a well-travelled person.

zanhar1 That's what I like about this comic. It has a much needed optimistic outlook. One that shows the good in mankind. The world needs that. Honestly though I think you are onto something there. The less human interaction a person has the less socialization they get. If you're just cooped up and isolated you kind of lose empathy and compassion. It's one thing to see hurt and suffering on TV (it seems less real that way) and another to see it in person. Even if it's just being there to comfort a friend after a breakup. You almost need those experiences to be compassionate. I think that that's another reason why it's so hard for people to discuss race because you never [i]true and fully[/i] understand what that person is going through. It's hard for even the most open-minded to walk in someone else's shoes. So I guess what it comes down to is a person's efforts to do so.

ThePrincesTale >"The less human interaction a person has the less socialization they get. If you're just cooped up and isolated you kind of lose empathy and compassion." yep definitely. A few things are important for developing understanding and empathy of others, I think: Going out and meeting people different from you, being in contact with the arts (eg. literature) because it sheds light on the human condition, and maybe (though less significantly) education. But the first is especially important, as this comic so expressively describes. Also related to the fact that I don't think as badly of a racist/Islamophobe that is old, rural, doesn't have good access to technology (vs. a metropolitan, young person that interacts with people of different races/religions every day). They are simply isolated from people different to them and haven't really had a chance to meet them and "walk in their shoes". Like you said, it's difficult even for the most open-minded person to do this.

zanhar1 This kind of goes back to our echo-chamber discussion that we were having on our walls. If you're stuck in you're bubble how can you learn to be tolerant of other people. If you never learn to respect people who are different from you, they you will never do it. And the best way to learn that respect imo is to get out there and talk to these people and realize that they are more like you than you intally (that is totally spelled wrong but I'm too lazy to google the right spelling...yet some how not too lazy to type this) thought. Lit and art really do help too. It's been backed by science that reading helps give the empathy/sympathy parts of the brain a work out. Because reading is a sort of way for you to get into someone else's head. I'm in the same boat as you; I'm more understanding of those who are racist/faithist because they either grew up around it/live in an echo-chamber of it and/or don't have access to technology. I'm in this boat because, as you said they are more isolated and never really had a chance to get a new perspective. The Westbro Baptist Church for example; I feel so bad for those kids because they are literally raised hearing shit like, "God hates fags." And they because of their religious confines don't really get to see much beyond that due to fear that was instilled when they were young.

TheLefteris24 The wonders of Travelling. Indeed, it provides the best kind of Teaching. I always had mixed feelings when it came down to people changing. However, a concept that has been instilled in them does not really define the inner self. More like, it restricts it. Walking into the shoes of others are valuable experiences that help the mind grow. It is not everyday that we make the thought of what would happen if the person in front of me was ME. Would I still be the same person deep down? Would I have done things differently? Would my thoughts and feelings also be the same? Expanding your horizons in both Mind and Spirit can determine the answers. Knowing what it really means to be Human. Personally, I believe myself to be pretty Open-Minded but I know that there are still some biases that I need to work on resolving. Seeing a Vast Universe before me, I know that I have a long way ahead of me. There is always room for improvement. Hence, one of the reasons Travelling around the World is one of my biggest desires !!!!

zanhar1 [i]Walking into the shoes of others are valuable experiences that help the mind grow. It is not everyday that we make the thought of what would happen if the person in front of me was ME.[/i] Exactly and I feel like travel can really help put that into perspective. I think that everyone has their biases and one huge way to get rid of those is to open yourself up to new experiences.

ThePrincesTale >"Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime" Currently considering putting this in my exchange application, lols. It's a great quote (also it's 4:47am and it's due tomorrow and times are desperate) Seee, fanpop is eDuCaTiOnAl

zanhar1 We'll pretend like it is anyways lmao. Good luck with your application.

ThePrincesTale Thank youuuu. Got in it 10 minutes before it was due lols. Did indeed incorporate the quote (was here so I could find it again lol). Also bullshitted a lot about how such an experience would "broaden my perspective in a manner that would be difficult to gain through other means" and how "as international boundaries are increasingly breached by social and technological progress, the next generation of legal practitioners will need a broader and more global view of the law" etc etc.

zanhar1 Well at least you got it in! Where are you planning on going, if you don't mind me asking.

ThePrincesTale The UK, because omgsopretty, and hopefully University of Sheffield. Was gonna go to London until I realised how frickin expensive the cost of living there is 0_o And yeah I crapped on about why I choose the UK in my application ("Many principles in the UK legal system were seminal to our own! Modern law there still forms the basis of comparative studies!") but really it was all a lie and I just like the accents and old architecture ;) And you can frickin drive to Paris. Also Sheffield [url=https://www.edmundo.ro/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sheffield-University.jpg]so pretty[/url]. And next to a National Park. And is a student city with a great arts and live music scene. And it's relatively cheap. Not gonna lie, slightly terrified. But should be fun.

zanhar1 I'd love to visit there some time. I'd love to visit Europe in general. I'm still saving up for the Netherlands & Norway but it's gonna take a long time and it's kinda discouraging in that way. :/ "It was a lie and I just like accents and old architecture." I feel this on a spiritual level. Oh! That sounds lovely. Do you need a passport or anything to do so? Or can you just drive right up in there? That is some solid architecture. I would be; going far from home is nerve wracking.