Empathy

Imagine a world without empathy. We would care only for ourselves, oblivious to the needs of others. Our interactions with others would only be for the purpose of advancing our own interests. This would be a very different world, a very cruel world.

Empathy can be very painful, but pain serves an important purpose: to elicit a response. Pain tells us when we need to remove our hand from a hot stove. Pain tells us that we may have a need to consult with a physician.

Just as our own pain elicits a response, the capacity of empathy causes pain and tells us that we need to respond on behalf of another. We respond to a crying child in pain. We respond to a friend who has suffered a loss and is in need of comfort and support.

And our capacity of empathy helps to redress broader societal issues. Our collective pain elicits a collective response, through outcry and protest, and through voting, to effectuate change.

Discussion

• When is the last time you were in an empathic situation?

• How did you respond?

• And if you did not respond, what might you have done to respond?