What is empathy?1Trigger warning. Suicide, abuse, threatened violence against women, weight shaming, misogyny. Incels.
What are its goals?
Its risks?
Should we offer empathy to enemies?
To those who don’t?
Is it empathy if we don’t “get” another?
But instead who we mistake them to be?
Wish them to be?
Can charity and empathy be at odds?
Is there a risk in rethinking empathy?
Is that risk less empathy?
Or more?
Invisibilia’s The End of Empathy tells the same story from two perspectives, one with empathy2Maybe? and one without.3Again, maybe? And that’s the point. In the process, it addresses these questions. At least, it talks around them. It certainly doesn’t answer them. But you have to answer these questions for yourself, regardless. Good luck!
- 1Trigger warning. Suicide, abuse, threatened violence against women, weight shaming, misogyny. Incels.
- 2Maybe?
- 3Again, maybe? And that’s the point.
2 responses to “Empathy”
Wow. That podcast really twisted my brain… which is good. Really an extraordinary exercise of looking at a situation from two very different sides and an honest attempt from both to see the other side.
You always make me think, especially in areas where we don’t agree… which is so valuable. Plus, I know you stretch my mind out of love, not merely a drive to be right.
Jeff, I’m glad you liked the podcast. I listen to quite a few, and this is the first that I absolutely had to link here.
Thanks for the kind words. :-)