I hear this take frequently and I think I understand where it comes from; you can lead a horse to water and all that. However, that thinking serves mostly as a way to disconnect from the suffering we’re seeing similar to a thought-terminating cliché. If you can convince yourself that people who don’t help themselves don’t deserve help, it’s much easier to cope with the existence of their suffering.

I hope this doesn’t come across as a criticism of you – I appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts with me. Thanks!