For those of us who understand what it means to be empathetic, we understand other people, we also understand their issues, regardless of what their issues are, how they get to make some of their decisions, or who is at fault.
For some of us, it’s often because we don’t listen to understand, but instead we listen to reply that empathy will never be on the top of our list. We just don’t take the time to care enough. Since Brexit and the USA elections, not only do we need to cultivate more empathy, but we need to cultivate more tolerance too and yet empathy and tolerance simply aren't there.
We must learn to be impartial, supportive and choose not to stand in judgment, understanding a person's struggles as if they were our own and the decisions they make. The world needs more empathy and more tolerance.
We need to have more empathy and tolerance, we need to be empathetic and tolerant, or at least try. In these uncertain times, we need more of these qualities, not less.
Well, being an empath can be a great thing if you're able to keep people from taking advantage of you because of it.
My mother forced me to be nice to people who I knew were very sick and twisted so I lost the ability to tell the difference between the two. She also forced me to take care of her too, when it was supposed to be the other way around.
My empathy turned out to be one of biggest downfalls, considering far too often I was feeling sorry for the wrong people most of the time. It would have been great if I was able to learn and grow normally but that obviously didn't happen.
It's just such a shame that I didn't have a chance to learn what I could accomplish using the gift that I have.
Thanks Randy. You didn't have a chance back then to use the empathy you had positively, but I believe you can now.
Anything that is forced won't work out for the greater good, but fundamentally, you have everything in place, just the wrong way round and for the wrong people. Through your responses you always point out the things you knew were wrong, with your childhood, with your parents and your life.
You owe it to yourself. Turning long term bad behaviour patterns around, through no fault of ours; will alway takes time, but worth it if we are to come out better people for it.
I'm not great with empathy. Largely bringing myself up, making decisions for myself from a very early age and supporting myself emotionally and physically has meant I have little patience for people who aren't as independent as me.
At times I can come across as being uncaring, which isn't a true reflection.
Although it's easy to understand your upbringing, unless we change the way we deal with other people, what we do or say will always be seen as a list of excuses, unless we change.
You clearly know your shortcomings, why you have little patience, but it's important we also understand our need to make those changes and why. It's not enough for us to explain or say what we've had to go through, without then deciding that we need to make those changes.
Anything we portray in that moment is a true reflection of how we are at that moment, until we change it. Unfortunately, if others aren't seeing our caring nature, it's as good as not being there.
It's pretty sad that people are using every impulse they have to be vulgar and insulting to anyone who looks different from them.
It's stupidity on steroids and evil personified, clashing with diversity, empathy and tolerance; perhaps it's prophesied, I don't know.
So our politicians are having us for dinner, but we can change that with empathy and understanding; instead of scapegoating people for our fears and anxieties.
Your last paragraph sums up your response Tim and you're absolutely right. We're all capable of showing empathy and being more understanding.
I also find it sad. We don't have to wait to be shown how, we should already know. Governments should be taking the initiative, but they're bickering amongst themselves.
On the back of where we are now; it's even more important we all work together within our communities.