"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,

"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.