Gratitude - A Short Lived Emotion
Reader comment on item: A tale of two crypts

Submitted by Frank Beal (United States), Dec 17, 2003 at 13:37

I agree with the author's conclusion that America has indeed freed many, many thousands of people from oppression and that they have at the time of the "freeing" experienced gratitude. Unfortunately, as we have so recently seen, that gratitude is akin to asking the question - What have you done for me lately. It seems this emotion has a relatively short life as evidenced by the obstructionism of France, Germany and others. They are merely a reflection of humankind in general unfortunately. You may have helped me yesterday (in relative terms), but what have you done for me today seems to be the way this works. Short term thinking is much more prevalent than long term perspectives.

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