Condescension Looks Down At Others While Laughing At Them Compassion Lifts Others Up While Laughing

Personalities condescension looks down at others while laughing at them compassion lifts others up while laughing with them a lot can be learned about people by how they deal with others by their attitude towards others some people laugh at others some people laugh with others now laughing at others faults is naturally it can be malicious sometimes it is just humour but sometimes it can be hurtful humour and it's not bad, now laughing with others is definitely better but at the same time you have to consider what laughing with others means say if two people are drunk and both of them laugh with each other they are not really helping each other substantially, so best is that we see some joy in the situation that we are in at the same time we also work to improve that situation and that is the essence of compassion compassionate people don't laugh at others people who are condescending do that the bhagavad gita 16 chapter states that harsh speech characterises the demoniac so harsh speech is the characteristic of the demoniac this means that they often delight in sarcastically putting down others and thus being laughing at others, that's condescending in contrast 16.2 states that apaishunam aversion to fault finding characterises those who are characterises those who are actually of a godly nature and if they become even more compassionate not only don't like to find fault with others, but they actually want to help others and help others rise and not only rise, but they want to help them rise in a way that is cheerful so laugh with others means that now at one level if we rise to spiritual consciousness if we connect with Krishna and we gain absorption in Krishna then naturally there is joy over there and that joy is so sublime so uplifting that we won't crave for any other joy far from it we long for others to also experience that joy that's why those who are compassionate they see the essential similarity the essential humanity and the essential spirituality of all living beings atmopam yena sarvatra samampashyati arjuna sukham vayadhiva dukkham sa yogi paramo matah now when they see in this way that everybody is equal in their joys and sorrows then they try to help others come out of sorrow and come toward joy and laughter they laugh with others, they try to make the spiritual joy accessible to them they try to lift them up toward the spiritual level and thus they come to a joyful spiritual level so we all can strive to laugh with others instead of laugh at others and we all can strive to compassion is not just joining others in their pleasures but also raising them to the level where they can endure they can experience enduring pleasure that is holistic kindness and compassion and the Bhagavad Gita guides us toward becoming thus holistically compassionate thank you.