Matter of Opinion

Over the weekend, I had an interesting conversation with someone for whom I care deeply and admire very much.
However, we don't see eye-to-eye on very many things. He is very philosophical, always asking himself the BIG questions and attempting to define his own answers. This is not a bad thing, don't misunderstand. I also subscribe to the opinion that more of us should actually think about the values we hold close and why we believe what we believe instead of just performing like robots in the command of others. As a people, we would certainly be more enlightened in every sense.
The topic of conversation this late evening was whether or not the concept of 'Humanity' even exists and if so, how is it truly and adequately defined. Loaded question to say the least. And of course, as all BIG questions, has no cut-and-dry answer
My feeling is this: We reap what we sow. If we give out ugliness, hatefulness, or indifference, it returns to us within the realm of Universal Justice and Karmic consequences (see earlier post for a demonstration of this). My position is that humankind has become frighteningly able to kill man, woman, and child alike with lack of conscience. We have become desensitized to the plight of others, to the feelings of others. This is depicted on the evening news, no matter which channel you tune in to.
Humanity, as a concept, in my estimation, is a whole with no missing pieces. All of us are equal on the most important level--the level of life. We all have a purpose and a role to play. What other level really matters when it comes down to the last few moments of life?
Love Thy Neighbor. Make Love Not War.
Now, my conversational partner (hiya Thins!) would and did adamantly disagree.
His opinion is that people must earn their position in society in order to have worth. A bum in the gutter is not as deserving as a person who works to support himself and his family, prepares for his future. A person that sits home and collects a welfare check when he is able to work deserves no place within society, or should be established at a considerably lower place on the human-worth scale than a hard-working father of three.( Here I must interject, that I deal with this on a daily basis in the community in which I reside and it is damn hard to hold my own belief of humanity in these circumstances, and certainly I am guilty at times to viewing these people as on a different level because so many of them do just "hang out and hold up the front stoop"--the feeling of entitlement reigns supreme). He says, When given a choice as to whom to aid in a time of tragedy, offer asistance to the person that contributes to society, thereby weeding out the ones that don't over time. He basically feels that the concept of 'Humanity' is undefinable and maybe doesn't even exist, except of course, on the political platforms of the bleeding liberals.

So, tell me, on which side of the issue do you stand?