empAθos "Xenophobia"
empAθos people are noted for their remarkable sense of privacy, and a general cultural aloofness, among those few who have had direct contact with us. We are extremely protective of our people, our culture and our homes, and very secretive about our day to day lives as empAθos individuals. There is very good reason for this.
It's been our experience, and it's been born out by history, that Non-empAθos Peoples cannot handle difference. If something or someone is different, the first impulse is to kill it, the second impulse is to convert it, and certainly to suppress it. Very seldom do Non-empAθos People tolerate difference, and almost never do they have a sense of delight in finding someone who is different from them.
At this writing, Israel and Palestine are at each other's throats, AGAIN! In Afghanistan, the Taliban leaders who control almost all of the country are destroying 1500 year old Buddhist statues, some of the finest examples of early Buddhist art, including the world's tallest statue of the Buddha, calling them "an affront to Islam". And, here in the United States of America, the land of tolerance; the great melting pot; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people are denied very basic protections against crimes of hate, against violence toward their persons, and are not allowed basic "human" rights as the full benefits and responsibilities of marriage, family and inheritance, not to mention American society's continued denial of employment, and housing.
At least empAθos people are equal opportunity bigots since we look upon all of the rest of humanity as a danger to our peace and security. Well, that's actually said in sarcasm.
It's with interest that we view other cultures. Our interactions with people who are different from ourselves is engaged as individuals. We are not very likely to admit to being empAθos to non-empAθos people as a matter of cultural defense, but we do observe, and learn and return to our people with the experience of a culture different from our own, and with lessons and ideas that we can adapt for our use, or can retain as a general knowledge of other cultures. When we learn of something different it increases our understanding of such differences and it also enhances our understanding of ourselves.
We are delighted to learn of someone who is different from us. We are over-joyed when we see someone who is new to our experience. But, we are also guarded because we realize that the delight is not shared, and by not carefully assessing the situation, we may very likely place ourselves in danger by exposing ourselves to these people who are different from us.
Human hatred is historic, palpable, and constant. It is responsible for the extinction of uncounted cultures, and the murder of untold billions of lives. We maintain our secrecy to protect ourselves. We travel among you, we live in your neighborhoods and work in your work-places, we experience the differences that you have to share, and we observe. We keep cultural contact to a minimum. And so far, cultural exchange has been one way only.
This website, therefore, constitutes First Contact, for non-empAθos people. For a while, it will remain the only resource for non-empAθos people to become acquainted with our culture. In time, we may become more forthcoming, but for now, for our own protection, we will maintain our secrecy.
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