I realize that people can't do empathy for many reasons, that includes autistic people. And that's fine, walking in someone else's shoes isn't anything special.

Showing some sympathy is polite and decent though. While I can't understand what's happening there, I do feel bad for Nish.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the problem that so many members of this forum seem to be having with empathy might just be because they're young, and not fully developed socially yet. I mean, most of the members here haven't even reached adulthood, so it would make sense.

Quote from theTDguy

Is it bad that I'm not touched at all? I know that people have a hard time and I want to feel bad (kinda, I'm not a masochist). But still, I don't feel anything, I don't feel bad, I don't even feel angry or have an opinion. In neither shooting or disaster that happened recently. Maybe it's because I can't understand how other people feel when I haven't been on their shoes. Maybe I'm spoiled by the tranquility and inactivity of my home town (village). Or perhaps I'm a psychopath like terrorsama.

There's nothing bad with not being empathetic, though. http://bigthink.com/praxis/five-reasons-you-should-be-less-empathetic The only thing you need is compassion. Empathy can distress you, but compassion doesn't.

Quote from Root

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the problem that so many members of this forum seem to be having with empathy might just be because they're young, and not fully developed socially yet. I mean, most of the members here haven't even reached adulthood, so it would make sense.

I thought this went without saying.

Haven't heard a thing about that, Nish. Praying for you and your fellow community.

I have an autistic little sister that tries to disregard any form of emotion completely. When she fell off the balcony a while back and had to be in a wheel chair for some time after, she never cried, but instead curled up in a ball and denied any contact I tried to make. Whenever someone she is not familiar with tries to tell a joke to her or give her a compliment, she tenses up and goes "um" or just makes a very uncomfortable face. When something bad happens, or hears about a tragedy, she doesn't have the ability to feel empathy or sympathy, she just simply ignores it or plugs her ears. It's pretty interesting.

Something I've always thought about is that today media and entertainment is so uncensored and violent that it sort of dehumanizes us. This all of course depends on what you are introduced to, but the humor people find in death and emotional conflicts is kind of sickening. There's also the problem that people feel the need to fit in, and that some kids are just stuck up and grow up having it all. There's no way to know if you've never had conflict.

I'm not perfect, but I try my best to help people that I know need someone. I at least talk to them about it if anything. I guess it's maybe due to my life and the mental "problems" I have. I have a better understanding of what they are going through, as well as others like me.

I don't want to write a whole lot more on this, because I'm sure there are a lot of you who think differently and I don't necessarily feel that I'm the best person to say these things.

It's hard to feel empathy when most people who can post on a forum like this have a computer, thus implying that you have electricity, internet, and all your needs met. It's hard to feel bad for something that isn't comprehensible due to the fact that most middle-upper class families are so sheltered and used to comfort, that anything that doesn't augment that comfort is irrelevant and doesn't need to have any attention paid to it.

Ignorance is bliss. If you don't know what it's like to lose your home, you will ignore it while drinking hot chocolate on your warm sofa while posting on stickpage why you don't understand what empathy is.

I never understood why people mourned peoples deaths until last year. Suddenly, all the people I had encountered that had lost loved ones and were depressed about it (confusing me as to why it would depress them) suddenly made so much sense to me, and now when somebody else is feeling that type of pain, I can readily put a hand on their shoulder and say "I've been there too. It sucks, I know, but you'll come out of it stronger."

Sometimes you don't need to understand the pain somebody else is feeling to help them. You can never know what it's like to have your family taken away by a flood because that's not your reality. However, you can still raise awareness and make a difference by making fundraisers and getting involved.

Actions speak louder than empathy. Those people don't want your pity, they want your help.

Quote from Root

Well obviously not, if people here keep having concerns about their lack of empathy.

I wasn't diagnosing him; like you are, I was trying to help him.

Besides, many adults lack empathy too.

Quote from Cruel

Actions speak louder than empathy. Those people don't want your pity, they want your help.

Empathy is not pity.

Apathy is for the weak. It is easy to not give a shit. Easy to stay away from it all. Easy to convince yourself you're some kind of cool, rebel to be nihilistic. Actually GIVING a shit, doing what it takes to feel for people, even if you know its going to hurt you in the end, doing it because you think its right, that takes a kind of strength that the lords of apathy can never know.

So compassion, kindness is strength, right?

But doesn't overactive empathy hurts? No one wants their pain to spread to others. Look at nurses who must not be empathetic since they know there will be deaths.

I don't think it that way though, Xate. I don't think they must not be empathetic; I think they're just strong enough to hold all of it.

Empathy doesn't mean you walk around screaming. A nurse who doesn't feel empathy would be a terrible nurse. They try not to get TOO attached, but not getting attached at all would never make you a nurse.

Quote from Not_Nish

Empathy doesn't mean you walk around screaming. A nurse who doesn't feel empathy would be a terrible nurse. They try not to get TOO attached, but not getting attached at all would never make you a nurse.

House is a fantastic doctor. Terrible human being, but an awesome doctor.

House is a great show by the way.

Quote from Cruel

House is a fantastic doctor. Terrible human being, but an awesome doctor.

House is a great show by the way.

I never really followed House but he seemed like an interesting character. What made him terrible?

Its the way he treats his patients and people in general.