Empathy Quotient

by Pat Antonopoulos

Searching for an answer to this division of perceptions.

Empathy
The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to and vicariously experience the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another.

The far side of this coin probably results in making excuses for and generally taking behavior outside the realm of personal actions. We have all done it. Blamed the coach, the teacher, even friends for our child's participation in a negative. That side of the coin spins a very long way.

But where is the other side? Lost in the self needs...the I-want...the so called self-actualization process? Have we become so focused on meeting each of our personal goals/needs that we have lost our grip on empathy?

There are times when I believe that we have created a monster of self-esteem, a monster that chews up our gentler interactions with one another. Of course, I am not negating the value of self-worth, the worth that comes for honest successes.

I am negating the cheering section that thunders for every crayon mark, childhood blooper and the nonsense of overdone expensive birthday parties.

Empathy requires a putting aside of self in the interest of 'caring for and feeling with' the needs of others. Empathy once softened the bullying of middle school years and I struggle to find that softening. In fact, I struggle to find empathy in many areas of our society.