It’s easy to see where the negative assumptions about uncaring “bystanders” comes from. Most people probably think of Kitty Genovese, a young New Yorker who, in 1964, was stalked, stabbed, and murdered outside her Queens apartment building while (supposedly) 38 people watched. The myth around the Genovese case is that none of these witnesses helped, and it’s from this story that the concept of the bystander effect — which suggests people are less likely to help someone if they’re around other people — was launched into the collective consciousness.
Bananas Instead of Nirvana
Once, my friend and I decided to practice gazing meditation. She was a skilled meditation teacher who had traveled to India and received something…