This week’s lessons:
1. Sometimes it really is necessary to withhold information. Context matters, but empathy also matters, especially when it’s time to do the explaining…
2. Not all information is correct. Empathy can probably help figuring that out, too…
I love the growth we see in this episode. G’Kar admits, and Delenn understands, that he would have killed her, had he heard what she just told him, some time ago. She had to withhold it for the greater good, allowing the fall of Narn, in order to prevent it’s entire destruction. But he was too angry to have understood that back at the time. His time in isolation has given him time to ponder, and to learn. Writing about it has probably also helped in the reflective process, although we will see that some information should not be released prematurely, even if it is correct.
Context, again, also matters, and greatly.
“…extremely popular martial law…”
That, of course, is simply a lie. Despite those who do think that it lowered street crime. No one cares about the crime that goes on behind closed doors, apparently.
Cptn Sheridan, meanwhile, gets to worry Bester by “thinking it over.” Excellent!
Let’s learn from this, and to build community, based on information transparency, please.
We, as a society and globally, really can Do Better.
Last Monday’s review was S3e13: Minbari Mondays, and Two Lessons in “A Late Message from Avalon” (B5:s3e13) from Charles Dickens on Housing & Health Care , and
Next Minbari Monday is
Season 3 ep15: Minbari Mondays, Two Lessons from “Interludes And Examinations,” (B5:s3e15) on Empathy for a Useful Death? , …
Shira
Nih sakh sh’lekk, sleem wa.
I come in peace, I am your friend.
Action Prompts:
1.) Share your thoughts on how we Human Beings might start to build a more fully inclusive society for all of us, and how this episode of Babylon 5 could help that process.
2.) Write a book, story, post or tweet that uses these thoughts.
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Click here to read, if you like:
Hakan: Muhafiz/The Protector, Lupin, & La Casa de Papel/Money Heist Reviews
Shira
Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Context, Critical Thinking, Continuous Learning: Project Do Better 
Babylon 5 was a ground-breaking series for so many reasons. Promoting the inclusion of those different from us was just one of them.
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Indeed it was, Patti, thank you for pointing this out.
Shira
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Babylon 5 was indeed most unique for its balance of all differences and similarities between us and our galactic neighbours. It certainly affected how I can look back on the otherworldly diversities of Star Trek, Doctor Who and Star Wars from clearer perspectives.
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Your mention of “extremely popular martial law” reminds me of a line in “And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place.” One of the visiting clergymen sympathetic to Sheridan’s cause said that many people supported martial law.
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Yes, that is the line I was thinking of, when Garibalbi I thought, said that it had reduced street crime to practically zero.
But no one thinks of what happens behind closed doors.
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Because it happens behind closed doors.
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Fair enough.
I guess that is why raising awareness in ways that builds empathy, like narrative story, or even fiction, is important?
How do we help people to understand, or to “see” the importance of what they do not immediately or directly see?
(I guess I’m back to asking how to help build social empathy, assuming that the other empathy even already exists in a person to start with…)
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I wish I had an answer to your question.
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Well, I have read that numerous studies show reading, novels especially, to build empathy, as well as at least one study showing that exposure to other languages builds empathy, so those are two potential tools to share, as Project Do Better works to do.
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These are useful strategies. However, even the most useful strategy for building empathy can work only with those inclined to be empathetic.
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Hmm, possibly true, and this is the same thing that many psychologists say about those with NPD and other Borderline pers. disorders, but I remain stubbornly hopeful that even those can be persuaded to develop empathy, somehow.
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May you be correct.
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Thank you, and Amen!!
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You are welcome!
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