Amid so much dissonance in the world, I’m inclined to post about the value of empathy. As psychologist Daniel Goleman has attested, empathy begins with attention. “You have to really see the person. If you see the person, then naturally, empathy arises. If you tune into the other person, you feel with them. If empathy arises, and if that person is in dire need, then empathic concern can come. You want to help them, and then that begins a compassionate act. Empathy builds a sense of community and reduces the tendency to discriminate or exclude others. Someone who bullies or excludes others can, of course, benefit from being more aware of the emotions of a potential victim and to value these emotions. Understanding builds empathy, empathy builds compassion, and compassion diminishes conflict. Empathy offers us comfort, the feeling we’re not alone. Psychologist Carl Rogers: “Empathy is a special way of coming to know another and ourself, a kind of attuning and understanding. When empathy is extended, it satisfies our needs and wish for intimacy, it rescues us from our feelings of aloneness.” Theresa Wiseman identifies four (4) qualities crucial to empathy: 1. Perspective-taking (e.g., the ability to take the perspective of another person); 2. Getting out of judgment; 3. Recognizing emotion in others; 4. Communicating those emotions. “Every moment you share someone else’s pain, feel what they feel, that makes you more human.” --Bill Murray, actor. “Empathy is really important... Only when our clever brain and our human heart work together in harmony can we achieve our true potential.” –Dr. Jane Goodall. Happy Early Thanksgiving!
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 15:14:57 +0000
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