The previous posting where I take on veteran socialist Brian Barder is, perhaps, looked at from the point of view of … love.

Read this excellent interview with Eva Illouz:

For me at least, the right and left often diverge on the issue of responsibility, of who is responsible for what. The left is much more willing to say we are put into situations not of our will, not of our responsibility, and we should help you. The left wing sensibility is about compassion for people who had bad luck in their lives.

Meanwhile, the right wing sensibility is that people can and should help themselves; if they have fallen into difficult circumstances, it is better for them get out of it on their own because this will form their character.

Where I find myself trapped is that I’m aware of the psychological explanation that makes people responsible for themselves and plays quite often in an uncompassionate view of others and a view that would make them too responsible.

On the other hand, you cannot help but think on a private level, that the only thing really as the Stoics saw it, we cannot change the world but we can change ourselves.

That’s my dilemma in terms of hesitation. On one hand, not wanting to play into an individualistic point of view, something that gives too much responsibility to people, but on the other hand thinking that it is much easier to change our emotions and inner life than it is to change the world…

Beautifully put.