Empathy

[Vedant]

"Before you abuse, criticize, and accuse, walk a mile in my shoes"

 

[CCGirl]

Seriously lacking in most of the "hard-cores" found on this forum

 

[""]

Seriously lacking in most of the "hard-cores" found on this forum

Well, perhaps you could empathize with those you claim have a lack of empathy, and put yourself in their shoes.


Wonderful topic, btw. Thank you for the reminder.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

Well, perhaps you could empathize with those you claim have a lack of empathy, and put yourself in theiir shoes.

I do. That's why I don't try to restrict their speech and actions.

 

[""]

I do. That's why I don't try to restrict their speech and actions.

Oh, I wasn't talking to you, but I appreciate your input. I also appreciate that you're not trying to restrict speech or actions. I'm a big supporter of free speech, but then I always have to wonder how far a person will go to protect that.

For instance:

If white supremacists are marching down the street, claiming that anybody who isn't white doesn't deserve to breathe... that's free speech, right?

If little Mary Sunshine and her sunny brigade of women want to march down the street, daring others to smile, be perky, and enjoy life... that's free speech, right?

If boy band lovers, decide to revive pop-musics boy bands of the 90s, by standing on the street corner singing backstreet boys, and nsync songs during all daylight hours, 7 days a week.... that's free speech right?


If the regurg society decides to hold a rally for bulimic women who like to vomit after they eat, and whilst in town they dine out at all of the fabulous eateries in your city, followed up by public vomiting in support of their cause.... that's free speech right?

Wow... I can think of so many versions of free speech, and not all of them are things that I would want to partake in. In fact, I wouldn't even want them happening in my neighborhood. So, by not wanting them in my neighborhood am I being unfair? biased? infringing on their rights? According to the right for free speech I'm not. I have just as much right to speak out against them, as they do, to speak out for their cause.

Yay. I love free speech. It means that I can stand up or sit down, for any issue I choose. I can support or oppose anything I want, and there's nothing anybody else should be able to do, to stop me.

Does that mean I'll always win? No. It doesn't mean I'll always lose though either.

 

[SallyNow]

Oh, I wasn't talking to you, but I appreciate your input. I also appreciate that you're not trying to restrict speech or actions. I'm a big supporter of free speech, but then I always have to wonder how far a person will go to protect that.

For instance:

I'll go...30,000 kilometers, if I get a cheap fair.

If white supremacists are marching down the street, claiming that anybody who isn't white doesn't deserve to breathe... that's free speech, right?

I think this might just fall under municiple laws regarding large gatherings and blocking of streets for events.

Also, if they say it directly to someone, that's threatening. If they follow someone, that's stalking. However, if it's just a small groups walking on the sidewalk talking loudly about things, then it's free speech.

If little Mary Sunshine and her sunny brigade of women want to march down the street, daring others to smile, be perky, and enjoy life... that's free speech, right?

Again, municiple event laws apply. Same with stalking laws. Otherwise...whatever goes!

If boy band lovers, decide to revive pop-musics boy bands of the 90s, by standing on the street corner singing backstreet boys, and nsync songs during all daylight hours, 7 days a week.... that's free speech right?

Many areas have "quiet hours" after 11pm. Also, this sounds a lot like busking, which in many areas requires a licence.

If the regurg society decides to hold a rally for bulimic women who like to vomit after they eat, and whilst in town they dine out at all of the fabulous eateries in your city, followed up by public vomiting in support of their cause.... that's free speech right?

Littering, actually.

Wow... I can think of so many versions of free speech, and not all of them are things that I would want to partake in. In fact, I wouldn't even want them happening in my neighborhood. So, by not wanting them in my neighborhood am I being unfair? biased? infringing on their rights? According to the right for free speech I'm not. I have just as much right to speak out against them, as they do, to speak out for their cause.

Yay. I love free speech. It means that I can stand up or sit down, for any issue I choose. I can support or oppose anything I want, and there's nothing anybody else should be able to do, to stop me.

Does that mean I'll always win? No. It doesn't mean I'll always lose though either.

Okay...I'm having some insomnia here. Anyone else want to get some examples for me?

 

[belladonic-haze]

"Before you abuse, criticize, and accuse, walk a mile in my shoes"

Amen to that. Too bad it is sometimes forgotten and we are all guilty of that fact.....

 

[loriersea]

I do. That's why I don't try to restrict their speech and actions.

 

[TScott]

Seriously lacking in most of the "hard-cores" found on this forum

Which is really ironic when you consider that empathy is the bedrock of the Christian Faith.

 

[levi501]

ah yes, empathy... being able to sympathize with ones situation and their feelings.
This is deffinitely lacking in those who condem on actions they see as black and white while they're actually anything but.

Also, empathy, being such a strong emotion in me, happens to be the main reason I'm a "good" person.

 

[Scolaí]

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way if they get angry, they'll be a mile away and barefoot.

 

[Vedant]

run, not walk, in that case.

 

[belladonic-haze]

Do you have Empathy with:

• Homosexuals
• conversion therapy
• sins
• other religions (Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and so on.....)
• other lifestyles
• different political opinion
• disabled
• abortion
• euthanesia
• other living creatures
• medical intervention
• none medical intervention
• refusal of medical treatment
• pro life
• pro choice
• bisexuals
• heterosexuals

And I can name so many more things I have read that people do not empathize with here on the CF.

We are so bad at that and yet we claim we empathize.......hmm......

 

[Helo]

"Before you abuse, criticize, and accuse, walk a mile in my shoes"

Walkin' a mile in someone's shoes doesnt do any good if theyre walking the wrong way

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

Empathy is what makes us human. No empathy - no ability to think ethically.

It's probably the One Thing I like about Christianity (as opposed to the other two Abrahamaic religions): the realization that it's not at all about following laws, but about having empathy. A potential murderer seething with gruesome fantasies but being kept in check by fear of getting punished for it isn't an ethical person, although his conduct may not differ from that of any other person.

 

[TooCurious]

Ah, good, somebody else beat me to the "...because then you're a mile away and you have their shoes" joke. I was worried that I was going to have to make it.

In all seriousness, though, good topic, and an important thing to keep in mind.

Oh, by the way, Jane_the_Bane, I've been meaning to say this to you ever since you changed your avatar: Great avatar! I like the Tara pic.

 

[Wicked Willow]

Oh, by the way, Jane_the_Bane, I've been meaning to say this to you ever since you changed your avatar: Great avatar! I like the Tara pic.

Yup, I enjoy it, too!
AVATAR COMBO!

 

[""]

Do you have Empathy with:

• Homosexuals
• conversion therapy
• sins
• other religions (Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and so on.....)
• other lifestyles
• different political opinion
• disabled
• abortion
• euthanesia
• other living creatures
• medical intervention
• none medical intervention
• refusal of medical treatment
• pro life
• pro choice
• bisexuals
• heterosexuals

And I can name so many more things I have read that people do not empathize with here on the CF.

We are so bad at that and yet we claim we empathize.......hmm......

Those are OK.... I thought of more.

Michael Jackson
George W. Bush
Paris Hilton
People who can't digest milk products
People who oppose the use of deoderant, even if they need it very badly.
Steadman Graham
Whoever they hire to direct Scary Movie V
Proctologists
Martha Stewart's housekeeper
Sean Federline
People with overproductive tear ducts
People with underproductive tear ducts
People who don't know what a tear duct is
Anybody that doesn't own duct tape
People who have to drive on the left side of the road
People who have to drive on the right side of the road


The list could go on and on, but in reality, what it means is this:

1. Empathy is sometimes hard to grasp, but it's generally the ones you don't feel it for who need it the most.

2. Empathy is not a synonym for acceptance.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

You forgot some more:
The Nazis, for example.
While they'd be the last people on earth I'd SYMPATHIZE with, politically and ethically speaking, I DO think that it is important to recognize that even an abominable mass murderer like Adolf Hitler was a human being, and not some alien monster.
Not in order to sympathize with him or to feel sorry for him, but to see that the Dark Side is not something that you can push away and project unto the Other - because that's exactly what the Nazis did.
Atrocities become possible because people manage to deny somebody else's inherent humanity. Ironically, they de-humanize themselves by doing so.

 

[""]

You forgot some more:
The Nazis, for example.
While they'd be the last people on earth I'd SYMPATHIZE with, politically and ethically speaking, I DO think that it is important to recognize that even an abominable mass murderer like Adolf Hitler was a human being, and not some alien monster.
Not in order to sympathize with him or to feel sorry for him, but to see that the Dark Side is not something that you can push away and project unto the Other - because that's exactly what the Nazis did.
Atrocities become possible because people manage to deny somebody else's inherent humanity. Ironically, they de-humanize themselves by doing so.

I don't believe we can leave any human being out. Does that mean that we'll always be able to empathyze with them? No, but it does mean that none of them are any greater or less than us. Their acts may be, but as a creation... a human... a person who needs Christ, who needs forgiveness, who needs to know that God loves them... they are our equals.

Not an easy thing for a Jew to say about Hitler.

It's easier though when we realize, as I said before, that empathy isn't the same as acceptance.

edit to add:
Btw, you mentioned "sympathy". Not the same as empathy. I have been speaking of empathy. Perhaps you know that already but maybe somebody else reading here won't know that.