What is empathy?

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Empathy is something you cannot learn.

You can learn behavior and adapt into a pattern simulating that of someone with empathy, but it is impossible to feel what you don’t.

At the same time, it is impossible to turn off empathy. I have spoken to countless empathetic individuals who have time and time confirmed what I already knew:

Even when your mind tells you that there are situations in which you would be much better off not having empathy, you still cannot stop feeling for those who might hurt you in one form or another.

The only advice I have been able to give so far:

Hide your empathy from others.

The problem with empathy is that it attracts the wrong people.

Carl Jung speaks about intuitive people and empathy and how those who have something to say about it often remain silent due to unfortunate reactions from others and fear of being labeled as “crazy”.
Carl Gustav Jung, was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung’s work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philosophy and religious studies.

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2 Comments

  1. Lesley March 24, 2021 Reply
    • Mike DammannAuthor March 25, 2021 Reply

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