The idea I kept coming back to while reading this book has been percolating
in my brain for quite some time and I perceived another connection within
this book.
-Our society reveres courage, perseverence, ambition and intelligence above
all things, as most societies. A person displaying these qualities may
become a highly esteemed member of our community. We praise these qualities
and teach them to our young people. Survival of the fittest, look out for
number one first and then maybe we'll have time to help others and we can be
revered for self-sacrifice, taking time away from personal gain...or is it?
There is the question of true altruism.
However, our society does not regard empathy as a trait worth devoting such
time and praise. Our schools do expend effort to teach this, we do not know
how to go about it. We do not value it...we begin to teach tolerance but is
that enough?
The Webster's Dictionary defines empathy as "intellectual or emotional
identification with another." Is that specific enough? My definition of
empathy is not merely divining how I would feel in the same situation but how
that person with all that person's mode of thoughts, reactions and beliefs
(to the best of my knowledge) would feel in such a situation and why. We do
not react the same as a people to similar situations. Add some communication
skills to empathy and you may have a society which works a bit more smoothly.
In Butler's Dawn, I feel courage, perseverence, ambition and intelligence
were displayed in abundance by the humans and aliens. The critical
ingredient missing most of the time was empathy. For instance, Nikanj
obviously cared for Lilith and he tried to understand her but he was
incapable, not merely callous. Lillith wanted to help her human friends,
including Tate, but was unable to fathom were they were coming from entirely.
She did understand their reactions when they converged with her own, but
when they reacted differently, she became impatient. This is a common human
reaction among us all. We understand those who act as we do. When the paths
diverge, we lose patience, understanding and cease our efforts. This is what
chisels away at our ability to communicate, lack of empathy.
This is the message I inferred from Dawn. Lack of empathy, communication
and interest in a cohesive, diverse society destroy the fabric of that
society. The Ooloi and the Oankali fail in this endeavor as do the humans.
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