Empathy? Do you have any?

[esme 10]

Mod Note

 

Kindly discuss the topic and desist with the personal comments from now on please.

[tinfoilhat 11]

Very unfair to Halibut.

 

And your last sentence is patently nonsense. First, you can rarely know all the facts about who or what created a situation, especially one reported in the media. Second, situations people find themselves in are almost always a mixture of 'their own making' and forces or influences beyond their control. So to say you only sympathise in principle with people who are in situations 'not of their own making' is pretty meaningless.

 

I think he has point. I've not read all the page hall threads (don't live there - don't have much to say frankly) but there doesn't seem to be much sympathy given to the people who live there who aren't Roma from the likes of halibut - from what I recall. Now he either thinks the complainants are lying racists or he doesn't care. It's worth pointing out not sides of that debate have attracted plenty of people who don't what's actually happening and just like stirring debates like that particular one.

[hyper 10]

I think empathy is a hugely important element of what makes up decent human beings. I shouldn't be by now, but still find myself surprised and saddened sometimes by how little of this precious attribute some people possess.

How empathetic are you?

 

Personally, I think it is wrong to suggest that Empathy = good, No empathy = bad.

 

Whatever each one of us lacks in one aspect is made up by another. And it's using that "other" positively that makes us good or bad. For example, an overly empathetic person would never achieve anything involving others for fear of hurting someone (you can't please all of the people all of the time)

 

Some of the most influential people in history were low down on the empathy scale - Churchill, Brunell, Thatcher etc. If you require a person to drive a project or implement change, you need someone high on caring for task, low on caring for people.

 

In times of crisis (personal/organsiational/societal) you will need someone with low empathy to help overcome that crisis, so we shouldn't diss them because they are not "nice". Let us also celebrate the hard men

[Tipex 10]

I thought he was saying youre a scarecrow.

 

haha :hihi:

[Halibut 12]

Some of the responses seem to suggest that there's a degree of confusion around as to what empathy actually is; some people seem to think it's the same as sympathy. It isn't - empathy is the ability to be aware of and understand the feelings of others.

It doesn't mean that one has to be sympathetic to those feelings. The fact, for example, that I'm sometimes very critical of others doesn't mean I can't empathise with their feelings.

 

---------- Post added 20-05-2014 at 17:54 ----------

 

I would describe me as me. I can be empathetic depending on the circumstances.

 

Thanks for that. Are there particular circumstances in which you'd find it hard to be empathetic? It would be interesting to explore some of those.

[natjack 10]

I think empathy is a hugely important element of what makes up decent human beings. I shouldn't be by now, but still find myself surprised and saddened sometimes by how little of this precious attribute some people possess. How empathetic are you?

Autistic and Asperger's people find it hard to be empathetic to others through no fault of their own but due to their condition, they can't 'read' people very well and often appear cold and unfeeling and often make social gaffes. So the OP is being unfair to them by his lack of empathy.

 

I'm of the opinion that this topic is merely posed as a chance to take a sideswipe at people whose opinions he doesn't find acceptable to his world view. Hence his signatures, both of them.

[Halibut 12]

Autistic and Asperger's people find it hard to be empathetic to others through no fault of their own but due to their condition, they can't 'read' people very well and often appear cold and unfeeling and often make social gaffes. So the OP is being unfair to them by his lack of empathy.

 

I'm of the opinion that this topic is merely posed as a chance to take a sideswipe at people whose opinions he doesn't find acceptable to his world view. Hence his signatures, both of them.

 

No, he isn't, he just forgot to specifically exclude them. Obviously I'm aware that some people have very good reasons for being able to demonstrate empathy.

For most people however, their empathetic skills can be broadened and deepened - if the person is willing to let them be.

[Mister M 1,625]

Personally, I think it is wrong to suggest that Empathy = good, No empathy = bad.

 

Whatever each one of us lacks in one aspect is made up by another. And it's using that "other" positively that makes us good or bad. For example, an overly empathetic person would never achieve anything involving others for fear of hurting someone (you can't please all of the people all of the time)

 

Some of the most influential people in history were low down on the empathy scale - Churchill, Brunell, Thatcher etc. If you require a person to drive a project or implement change, you need someone high on caring for task, low on caring for people.

 

In times of crisis (personal/organsiational/societal) you will need someone with low empathy to help overcome that crisis, so we shouldn't diss them because they are not "nice". Let us also celebrate the hard men

 

I disagree with the idea that to drive change or overcome a crisis one needs to have low empathy. Also I fundamentally disagree with the idea that someone who has a high level of empathy cannot achieve anything, I don't think as people we are uni dimensional. Having empathy doesn't mean that you are devoid of drive or ambition, similarly some people who are empathic can also be not very nice. In that respect, empathy is like confidence: one can have confidence in one aspect of your life (i.e work), but lack confidence in other areas.

[Halibut 12]

I'm of the opinion that this topic is merely posed as a chance to take a sideswipe at people whose opinions he doesn't find acceptable to his world view. Hence his signatures, both of them.

 

Are you seriously telling me that you like fascists or that the Roma deserve all the loathing and prejudice they endure?

[natjack 10]

Very unfair to Halibut.

 

And your last sentence is patently nonsense. First, you can rarely know all the facts about who or what created a situation, especially one reported in the media. Second, situations people find themselves in are almost always a mixture of 'their own making' and forces or influences beyond their control. So to say you only sympathise in principle with people who are in situations 'not of their own making' is pretty meaningless.

I don't agree with any of your points.

 

Forgive me for saying, but you don't appear to have very much empathy yourself. Someone else's appraisal of their attitude is 'patently nonsense' and 'meaningless' because you don't agree with or are incapable of understanding it?

 

I only seem to see you appearing when there's an argument to be had, and don't see you taking much of a part in the rest of the SF? I have to conclude from the evidence that you're not really a team player and therefore lack empathy. :\

[tinfoilhat 11]

Are you seriously telling me that you like fascists or that the Roma deserve all the loathing and prejudice they endure?

 

Are you saying a large influx of Roma haven't caused any problems on existing residents and the whole thing is an exaggeration?

[natjack 10]

Are you seriously telling me that you like fascists or that the Roma deserve all the loathing and prejudice they endure?

We're talking about having empathy. As I commented earlier, you're not displaying much empathy with the people of Page Hall in their present troubles by having that siggie on your profile.

 

Although the latest turn-up must be difficult for you, gangs of Yemenis and Slovaks fighting in the streets of Page Hall, and not an ethnic Brit to be seen ... so presume you're on empathy overload right now.