So they control what you think and say?When the Left calls the Right racist, they destroy all attempts at empathy, from both sides.
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Try to understand how it feels to be falsely accused of something.
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So they control what you think and say?When the Left calls the Right racist, they destroy all attempts at empathy, from both sides.
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I do. But being falsely accused of something doesn't change my thoughts or behaviors.Try to understand how it feels to be falsely accused of something.So they control what you think and say?When the Left calls the Right racist, they destroy all attempts at empathy, from both sides.
One definition of "empathy" is: "the psychological identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another."
As I think about the deepening divisions in our country, and as I observe our strengthening proclivity for binary thought and a clear unwillingness to give an inch in political conversation, it occurs to me that an increasing lack of empathy may be at its foundation - both as a cause and an effect.
The less we communicate civilly, the more we distance ourselves from contrary thought and opinion, the less understanding we have of those with whom we disagree. It seems like we can in no way even understand the other person's perspective, that we tend to create immediate distortedcaricatures of it, and that gives us license to ignore/dismiss it out of hand.
Do we, or do we not, want to at least have an accurate understanding of, and appreciation for, another person's perspective on an issue before we respond?
Isn't there something potentially constructive or valuable, something we haven't thought about, somewhere within another person's perspective?
What stops us, do you suppose, from maintaining enough empathy for at least understanding and appreciating the view of someone who does not agree with us?
Three questions there. Let's see if we can put down our fists and dig a little.
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I do. But being falsely accused of something doesn't change my thoughts or behaviors.Try to understand how it feels to be falsely accused of something.So they control what you think and say?When the Left calls the Right racist, they destroy all attempts at empathy, from both sides.
Refusing to fully and accurately understand the other person's position is a choice. Misrepresenting and/or distorting the other person's position is a choice.
Personal responsibility is gone. Now, it's all the other guy's fault. And we're seeing the results.
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I know.I do. But being falsely accused of something doesn't change my thoughts or behaviors.Try to understand how it feels to be falsely accused of something.So they control what you think and say?When the Left calls the Right racist, they destroy all attempts at empathy, from both sides.
Refusing to fully and accurately understand the other person's position is a choice. Misrepresenting and/or distorting the other person's position is a choice.
Personal responsibility is gone. Now, it's all the other guy's fault. And we're seeing the results.
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I am not feeling much empathy from you, on this. I'm trying to. But I don't feel it.
I know.I do. But being falsely accused of something doesn't change my thoughts or behaviors.Try to understand how it feels to be falsely accused of something.So they control what you think and say?When the Left calls the Right racist, they destroy all attempts at empathy, from both sides.
Refusing to fully and accurately understand the other person's position is a choice. Misrepresenting and/or distorting the other person's position is a choice.
Personal responsibility is gone. Now, it's all the other guy's fault. And we're seeing the results.
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I am not feeling much empathy from you, on this. I'm trying to. But I don't feel it.
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I've been called a racist here, many times. And an Islamophobe, and a homophobe, and all the other dishonest attempts to put me on the defensive and avoid my points.I know.I do. But being falsely accused of something doesn't change my thoughts or behaviors.Try to understand how it feels to be falsely accused of something.So they control what you think and say?
Refusing to fully and accurately understand the other person's position is a choice. Misrepresenting and/or distorting the other person's position is a choice.
Personal responsibility is gone. Now, it's all the other guy's fault. And we're seeing the results.
.
I am not feeling much empathy from you, on this. I'm trying to. But I don't feel it.
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No, I am not feeling empathy FROM you to me.
I think I have a very good grasp of what you are feeling and thinking.
I've been called a racist here, many times. And an Islamophobe, and a homophobe, and all the other dishonest attempts to put me on the defensive and avoid my points.I know.I do. But being falsely accused of something doesn't change my thoughts or behaviors.Try to understand how it feels to be falsely accused of something.
Refusing to fully and accurately understand the other person's position is a choice. Misrepresenting and/or distorting the other person's position is a choice.
Personal responsibility is gone. Now, it's all the other guy's fault. And we're seeing the results.
.
I am not feeling much empathy from you, on this. I'm trying to. But I don't feel it.
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No, I am not feeling empathy FROM you to me.
I think I have a very good grasp of what you are feeling and thinking.
This thread is not about race. It's about the refusal (and possible lack of ability) of both ends of the spectrum to practice honest empathy. I hope you'll stay on track.
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Like being stoned all the time...
Or at all. If you like,I can throw rocks at you.
sparky means being high or drunk not actually being stonedLike being stoned all the time...
Or at all. If you like,I can throw rocks at you.
I don't think Americans need to learn empathy. I think they need to focus on actual problems. Return to local problems. Right now, they talk much and do nothing.
In the broad discussion of this thread, I still don't like the concept of empathy. Now I don't mean I dislike empathy, but in broad discussions the emotional reactions empathy evokes often overrides any rational discussion. I think that what's going on at the southern border is a perfect example. People see children that in dire straights. Anyone with a conscious feels empathy. And yet I've got children within a couple miles of my home in Ohio in dire straights. They're not on TV so no one gives a damn. The obvious rational thought that maybe we should clean up our own mess first is lost because people feel empathy for the child at the border, even though that child is in dire straights because some adult has decided to drag them across a desert.Like anything (and everything) else, we just love to take an idea and go too far with it, so I don't disagree.As i've heard many times before, empathy makes horrible law. Structuring a law around one instance, ignores the millions of others that may be affected.
But I'm not talking about actions based only and specifically on empathy. I'm not going that far. I'm just saying that if we refuse to accurately understand another person's opinion and perspective -- and that's exactly what we're doing, we're refusing -- then communication is lost; if communication is lost, we (a) our tribal instincts cause us to only hate other opinions more and more, and (b) chances of communication, collaboration and innovation go out the window.
I think we know this. I'll bet that, at some level, we know what we're doing to ourselves with this behavior. What I wonder is if our tribal & self-esteem impulses are stopping us from putting our fists down for even a moment and just thinking.
It appears that fundamental human empathy is now considered a weakness, on both ends of the spectrum. I'm pretty sure that's not a good idea.
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Well, I'm trying to maintain a distinction between (a) having an honest and accurate understanding of another person's views, and (b) inserting emotion and acting on it. "Feeling" has nothing to do with this. It's about accurate knowledge.In the broad discussion of this thread, I still don't like the concept of empathy. Now I don't mean I dislike empathy, but in broad discussions the emotional reactions empathy evokes often overrides any rational discussion. I think that what's going on at the southern border is a perfect example. People see children that in dire straights. Anyone with a conscious feels empathy. And yet I've got children within a couple miles of my home in Ohio in dire straights. They're not on TV so no one gives a damn. The obvious rational thought that maybe we should clean up our own mess first is lost because people feel empathy for the child at the border, even though that child is in dire straights because some adult has decided to drag them across a desert.Like anything (and everything) else, we just love to take an idea and go too far with it, so I don't disagree.As i've heard many times before, empathy makes horrible law. Structuring a law around one instance, ignores the millions of others that may be affected.
But I'm not talking about actions based only and specifically on empathy. I'm not going that far. I'm just saying that if we refuse to accurately understand another person's opinion and perspective -- and that's exactly what we're doing, we're refusing -- then communication is lost; if communication is lost, we (a) our tribal instincts cause us to only hate other opinions more and more, and (b) chances of communication, collaboration and innovation go out the window.
I think we know this. I'll bet that, at some level, we know what we're doing to ourselves with this behavior. What I wonder is if our tribal & self-esteem impulses are stopping us from putting our fists down for even a moment and just thinking.
It appears that fundamental human empathy is now considered a weakness, on both ends of the spectrum. I'm pretty sure that's not a good idea.
.
I don't think Americans need to learn empathy. I think they need to focus on actual problems. Return to local problems. Right now, they talk much and do nothing.
Please take a look at post 74 and comment.I don't think Americans need to learn empathy. I think they need to focus on actual problems. Return to local problems. Right now, they talk much and do nothing.
Do people here ever have to collaborate with someone at work on a project or complex task?
Can't you produce better work if you and your fellow collaborator accurately understand what each of you are saying during the process? Is there no give & take, no sharing of ideas, no learning, no creation of something new that wasn't there before? Does the end product suffer in quality if communication is garbled, inaccurate, distorted?
I'm not even sure how to ask these questions. It's a little chilling that I even HAVE to.
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Do people here ever have to collaborate with someone at work on a project or complex task?
Can't you produce better work if you and your fellow collaborator accurately understand what each of you are saying during the process? Is there no give & take, no sharing of ideas, no learning, no creation of something new that wasn't there before? Does the end product suffer in quality if communication is garbled, inaccurate, distorted?
I'm not even sure how to ask these questions. It's a little chilling that I even HAVE to.
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Empathy seems like a fundamental human trait. In fact, isn't empathy something that usually separates us from the other animals?
No, but it beats realityIt appears that fundamental human empathy is now considered a weakness, on both ends of the spectrum. I'm pretty sure that's not a good idea.
At the first hint of danger, a rat or a rabbit will run. Are we not any better than that at this point?
Personal responsibility is gone. Now, it's all the other guy's fault. And we're seeing the results.
This thread is not about race. It's about the refusal (and possible lack of ability) of both ends of the spectrum to practice honest empathy
Instead of trying to improve things, we're more worried about "beating" the other "side". To me, that's just madness. I don't get it.