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Empathy is not inborn, it is taught. Ask anyone with a toddler. Also people must be taught to broaden their circle of empathy to include foreigners, animals, et
by astazangasta 8y ago
Empathy is not inborn, it is taught. Ask anyone with a toddler. Also people must be taught to broaden their circle of empathy to include foreigners, animals, etc. The capacity may be innate but it must be shaped by education, formal or otherwise.
- whatshisface 8y agoIs it taught, or does it "grow in?" Toddlers don't get empathy training.
- asark 8y agoI can't say whether it's what makes the difference or it's a natural development, but they 100% for sure do. Both direct instruction and example behavior.
- whatshisface 8y agoThere are many parent who never instruct their kids to care about other people, and those kids turn out fine. The vast majority of what you have to tell a todller is variants of "don't put that in your mouth," and sometimes "stop hitting your sister." I've never heard of an admonition to "be more caring." (Note: that sounds like a heartwarming idea unless you have met a toddler before)
- droithomme 8y ago> Empathy is not inborn, it is taught. I remember when I was a kid, around 6, I was out hiking with my dog and had gotten on top of this huge boulder and fell off. I fell pretty far, got scraped up bad, probably a concussion and I was laying on the ground moaning. My dog scampered down and he started whimpering and licking my face. He then ran a couple miles to get help, which he brought back. Cats though don't do this sort of thing.