Empathy as a “Risky Strength”: A Multilevel Examination of Empathy and Risk for Internalizing Disorders

6 Comments

1. Lesley December 23, 2020 Reply

   I agree with this. I have always considered empathy as a weakness in today’s society. When you seem to live around people without it, or low levels of it, it can be difficult to succeed professionally and personally as well.

2. Catherine Oller December 27, 2020 Reply

   Mike; what happened to the rest of the comments. I commented on this topic and saw it posted. Now no longer there along with others I originally saw posted? I assure there was nothing offensive in my comment. I don’t get it????

• Ken December 27, 2020 Reply

  well fwiw: Mike has to approve all posts here w/ the exception of mine perhaps. sometimes posts end-up in his spam folder (there’s lots of spam currently 251 posts from just Dec. 12th, 2020 to now) – some of my early posts here back around June/July of this year did end-up in the spam folder (i was using very unusual and complex posting names…i suspect this is not the case w/ you). i know he also likes to keep the conversations/discussions focused on science/scientific studies & similar types of data over people’s personal opinions and things that cannot be well examined by scientific methods. your posts seems good to me – the ones i recall reading. i’m able to see the some (possibly all) of the comments that have not been posted here during this month – which is ~ 30 posts. imo, it’s a lot of work having to read all the posts posted here (i think he’s been doing this for more than 10 years now – he runs/owns the Rh negative dating site linked above on these pages & an Rh negative forum). he even reads my posts or at least checks them i think. sometimes i ask, in my post, that it be removed – once in a great while, one of my controversial posts or a post that’s perhaps too personal may be removed. he is the final arbiter, although he has been lightening his load a little by having confidence in my ability to do some of the things he has previously done himself. some others apparently have gained his confidence and can/i assume do help him sometimes. i recommend not giving-up. just try to make the best posts possible whenever you want to post here and consider what i mentioned here.

• Mike DammannAuthor December 27, 2020 Reply

  I have not touched your comments

3. Robin January 10, 2021 Reply

   I keep thinking I’m being hacked…my comments before I can put in website it pops up awaiting moderation, then disappears…today is January eighth 2021. I have said in the blog that my level of empathy concerns me…simply because I know if there was an animal or person in a burning house, I would most definitely risk my own life to save another’s…This “sacrifice ” could possibly be viewed by some as reckless…Then it occurred to my mind…if our human race was at war, and another was wounded…I know I would stop to help. I’m not sure if I could count on one hand (other than this group) five people who would even think to stop…they would not…I realized that empathy…is essential for human survival….we would cease to exist. On the show song land..an artist wrote a song for aloe black called Same Blood. The lyrics so represent RH negative empathy…” We’ve got the same blood, stay by your side its ride or die…we’ve got the same blood…were the running towards the fire kind , were the fearless on the frontlines, were the never leave each other Always staying undercover, take a bullet for your brother kind. We are the heroes in the background, were the brave who never backdown. ” Well you can read the lyrics Aloe changed the end up a bit…but I thought of you…you time, research…the heroes in the background…and I know if we were in the same room…if danger arose…we would protect each other….That’s why empathy is essential to the human race…unfortunately it can not be taught.

4. robin January 11, 2021 Reply

   My daughter and I had a discussion about empathy. My beautiful Ginger with eyes so beautiful…I think only angels have. As my child she has many RH negative traits…some of the unfortunate autoimmune traits altered her life. She works in healthcare with residential altziemer patients. The most dependent. Soon all the patients only wanted her…they remembered her, even the color of her car..they call her red. She told me that she had a patient who was blind…unable to push call button for help. Many patients wear diapers. She observed co workers not even glancing toward this particular blind woman…she new the poor woman was most uncomfortable in soiled diapers…I think her expression was awe, complete inability to understand how someone could be laughing, texting , ignoring a scared dependent elderly patient. Then just like her mummy ….Why??? I can’t understand??why ??? Ok she stated do you think if I brought wet bathing suits in, made them wear them all day( of course this is not allowed) do you think after eight hours mom with soiled wet suits…they may learn empathy? Then she quickly said no mum you can’t teach them…That’s why the patients want me…because we connect…I understand there needs before they do! She had one tear…down her cheek…and said…Now I’m going to have to work double shifts…every time I’m not there someone dies….and I’m the only one who feels the pain…She said…I think maybe we are wired a bit different then others…I said yes you are…You are so different…With you, there not afraid…maybe what you do gives a family one more day to be together. They know your different right? She said mom its impossible for some that there able to know me remember me…I said what a miracle that you are an empath? Yes? You can’t teach it…its a gift..that’s why they remember you. Because your good.

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