”You don't develop empathy - some people have it, some people not so much." I don't think this is true, for the most part. A counterexample is buddhists who

”You don't develop empathy - some people have it, some people not so much." I don't think this is true, for the most part. A counterexample is buddhists who spend years practicing compassion meditation. It seems to work for them. Lots of religious leaders emphasize compassion, and there seems to be a benefit from it. I know people who pray for others, which is a clearly empathetic act, whether or not I believe in the power of prayer. I don't think that empathy is just a given, as you seem to think. People all over the world, and over vast spans of time have put a lot of effort into developing it.