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Incoming armchair psychiatrist... I think any perceived universal lack of empathy is more a projected personal lack of empathy. I think that if you assume and

by wonnage 12y ago

Incoming armchair psychiatrist... I think any perceived universal lack of empathy is more a projected personal lack of empathy. I think that if you assume and expect the worst from others you'll in turn hold yourself to the same standard. Everyone's been in a bystander position before, where they knew they could do something but didn't; this is empathy without action, which is mistakenly labelled as a lack of empathy. Hence the problem is not that we can't empathize but that there's no obligation to do anything, which reflects a general preference towards identifying and branding over the actual work of change and action.

bootload 12y ago
"I think that if you assume and expect the worst from others you'll in turn hold yourself to the same standard. Everyone's been in a bystander position before, where they knew they could do something but didn't; this is empathy without action, which is mistakenly labelled as a lack of empathy." Yes I have. I'll tell you I didn't see empathy I saw fear and inability to act through lack of cognition. I'll agree with the lack of obligation but that depends. A parent will move into danger to rescue their own child, a stranger may not. Service people move into danger putting their lives at risk to rescue strangers every day.
the8472 12y ago
> I think any perceived universal lack of empathy is more a projected personal lack of empathy. (a) > I think that if you assume and expect the worst from others you'll in turn hold yourself to the same standard. (b) (b) does not necessarily follow from (a). Lack of empathy does not automatically make you expect the worst from others. For example you can easily assume that people will treat you at least superficially nicely because "being nice" is some expectation. Or maybe because it's even their job, e.g. someone in a leadership position. Or put differently, if you do not have empathy and do not expect empathy from someone else (whether rightly so or simply due to your own lack of empathy) you could assume they still act rationally and that it is simply not in their interest to "do their worst" when interacting with you.
Puts 12y ago
Sometimes I joke about people and someone corrects me telling me what a douche I am. But lately I've started thinking that maybe It's easy for me to say these things because just because I say someone for example looks a certain way does not genuinely mean I think that person IS that way. And then when people correct me, they are actually reacting on their own prejudgements and projecting it on my joke.

by wonnage 12y ago

bootload 12y ago

"I think that if you assume and expect the worst from others you'll in turn hold yourself to the same standard. Everyone's been in a bystander position before, where they knew they could do something but didn't; this is empathy without action, which is mistakenly labelled as a lack of empathy." Yes I have. I'll tell you I didn't see empathy I saw fear and inability to act through lack of cognition. I'll agree with the lack of obligation but that depends. A parent will move into danger to rescue their own child, a stranger may not. Service people move into danger putting their lives at risk to rescue strangers every day.

the8472 12y ago

> I think any perceived universal lack of empathy is more a projected personal lack of empathy. (a) > I think that if you assume and expect the worst from others you'll in turn hold yourself to the same standard. (b) (b) does not necessarily follow from (a). Lack of empathy does not automatically make you expect the worst from others. For example you can easily assume that people will treat you at least superficially nicely because "being nice" is some expectation. Or maybe because it's even their job, e.g. someone in a leadership position. Or put differently, if you do not have empathy and do not expect empathy from someone else (whether rightly so or simply due to your own lack of empathy) you could assume they still act rationally and that it is simply not in their interest to "do their worst" when interacting with you.

Puts 12y ago

Sometimes I joke about people and someone corrects me telling me what a douche I am. But lately I've started thinking that maybe It's easy for me to say these things because just because I say someone for example looks a certain way does not genuinely mean I think that person IS that way. And then when people correct me, they are actually reacting on their own prejudgements and projecting it on my joke.