Sympathies, Strength or Weakness???

I can't begin to recount the number of times I've heard people express frustration stemming from incidences when expressions of their sympathies have led to people taking advantage of them. People proverbially "mistake kindness for weakness" everyday. Often times the full picture is a little bit more complex. These complaints are often better characterized by people percieving their own selfish behavior as pro-social (actions motivated by altruism), or people perceiving their own pro-social behavior as something other than weakness. See, if it were not weakness, it would not have exposed you to the exploitation motivating your complaint... And purely altruistic behavior connotes an understanding of the intended beneficiary(ies)'s plight that more than likely justifies/explains the pain of exploitation. Sympathy, though a beautiful and essential part of life, is weakness.

Understanding a woman's past does not mean you can deal with the scars that past has inflicted upon her. Your inner-social worker may aim to improve her, or may perceive her growth as an enjoyable spectacle to be audience to, but your own weaknesses may render your coexistence with that woman unbearable for you...(Ellipsis)...