maybe this is the time to share a secret that I’ve kept for quite a long time

16 February 2010


The one thing that the internet is exceptionally good at, imo, is alerting you to other people. Sometimes this is a bad thing, you know when you stumble across neo-nazis, or arguments that just make you scratch your head in bemused wonder. But then there are the times you come across something that makes you realise how hard life is.

I don’t mean any of those “painful life stories” that seem to be everywhere either, they are important too but for a different reason. I mean the ones that make you realise that your life is really quite great, but also that it might not always be. I’m not explaining this properly. I don’t want to sound as though other people’s misery is something to be thankful for, as though other people are merely a supporting act to your own life, existing only to teach you a valuable lesson before disappearing off-stage.

I guess I find stories that are this honest and open very touching. And they are important to listen to. Only by seeing another’s POV can we ever hope to empathise with them. And I think that empathy is one of the most important things out there.

Ray Gosling

via Metafilter and the discussion there is well worth reading as well.

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2 Responses

  1. Kailana says:

    Thanks for sharing this!

    • Fence says:

      You're welcome. Since that programme came out Gosling has been questioned by the police. But I don't know of any developments as I've been away from internet & newspapers for the weekend