Does anybody here have a problem with empathy?

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Wobbit
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11 May 2007, 12:26 pm

I've been called a "cold-hearted bastard" and things in that line. Thing is, I'm a deeply caring person, and I want to help people feel better when they are down. But I don't really feel bad about the things that happen to them unless they are major, by my scale, which pretty much just includes death, disease, and dismemberment. As far as showing empathy goes, I've been learning, but I still never really know what to say or do.
Also, "me-too" on the posts about guilt over the things that I might do to hurt someone.



The_Cucumber
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11 May 2007, 2:18 pm

Hmmm.... well I definitely feel empathy. I won't necessarily express it as obviously as others but I try to help other people when the opportunity arises.



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12 May 2007, 4:06 am

I have no idea, cant say I've ever felt empathetic, so don't think I've got a problem with it. I prefer not having it realy.


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12 May 2007, 8:18 am

Empathy is a concept that I can't wrap my mind around at all.

When I still worked in the call-centre industry, one place I worked they were big on showing empathy when appropriate. The joke that went around is that we should avoid inappropriate expressions of empathy:

Customer: "I would like to pay my bill."
Agent: "I am so sorry to hear that."

:lol:


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boots1123
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12 May 2007, 10:47 am

I guess I'm not very empathetic. I don't understand what my co-workers get worked up about all the time. People like to vent to me too, though, because I stay "objective."

I've learned to make certain faces and say certain phrases, though, when people tell me certain things in order to look and act right. I really don't get what the big deal is most of the time.



coolstertothecore
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12 May 2007, 11:03 am

I'm very hit and miss. Watching Red Nose Day on TV has me bawling my eyes out but if I hear that someone I know has lost a relative, I don't care at all.

I see death differently to most people I think. When my grandpa almost died, I wasn't remotely upset at the thought of him dying, but I was upset that my nana would be on her own.

I've never been to a funeral so I'm not sure how I'd react. If it was someone I would really miss I think I'd be devastated but if it's a cousin or an aunt or someone I never see anyway, I can't imagine caring at all. I once said that I wouldn't care if my Dad died and someone got cross with me, but why on earth would I be upset that someone I dislike is dead? It seems illogical to me.



Santa_Claus
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12 May 2007, 3:44 pm

I almost dont have any empathy.



richardbenson
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12 May 2007, 4:00 pm

hale_bopp wrote:
I'm terrible with it.


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IdahoRose
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13 May 2007, 8:58 pm

I have problems with empathy. Like, when I see something bad happen to someone on TV, I don't feel bad for them (even when it's the news, a talk show, or one of those Dateline shows).



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15 May 2007, 2:17 pm

Grimbling wrote:
Then then there's feeling empathy versus showing empathy... I suck at knowing how to do that. In which circumstances is it appropriate to put your arm around someone, for instance? Or offer them a tissue? Or is it more polite just to ignore it and not make a scene?


I also have problems showing empathy, although I feel it sometimes. When I should show empathy, I'm just feeling awkward and do not know how to do that. But usually I don't feel much empathy towards people. If my friend has a problem or something, I try to act like I care - by offering advice or listening - because I still want to be nice to people. If I do something that hurts people I like, I feel guilty, but if I haven't done anything, I tend to stay emotionally unattached.