The HUGE difference between empathy & sympathy explained
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8
2. Mucha commented 10 years ago
Nje ushiye lapha
In a win-lose situation, the difference would be like this:-
High empathy, low sympathy:-
"Stop feeling so bad, just because you lost! I can't stand your crying!"
High sympathy, low empathy:-
"Somebody had to lose. We did our best, and the best one won".
High in both:-
"Calm down, it's not that bad - here, let me help you..."
Low in both:-
"Hahaha, loser!"
People get sympathy and empathy mixed up because the definitions overlap almost completely. The main difference is that empathy is feeling another's emotions, and sympathy is your own emotion of whether you care. Generally it is sympathy that translates into deliberate action, and is hence more important in the real world. Low empathy just means ignorance of others, while low sympathy means you genuinely don't care about the other person.
In a win-lose situation, the difference would be like this:-
High empathy, low sympathy:-
"Stop feeling so bad, just because you lost! I can't stand your crying!"
High sympathy, low empathy:-
"Somebody had to lose. We did our best, and the best one won".
High in both:-
"Calm down, it's not that bad - here, let me help you..."
Low in both:-
"Hahaha, loser!"
People get sympathy and empathy mixed up because the definitions overlap almost completely. The main difference is that empathy is feeling another's emotions, and sympathy is your own emotion of whether you care. Generally it is sympathy that translates into deliberate action, and is hence more important in the real world. Low empathy just means ignorance of others, while low sympathy means you genuinely don't care about the other person.
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5. UckFaOuYa1134 commented 10 years ago
At least this video wasn't 15 minutes long!
16
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7. TesticleTom commented 10 years ago
There is a huge difference between empathy and sympathy.
One "..mpathy" begins with an "e".
and the other "..mpathy" begins with "sy".
Easy.
Next?
One "..mpathy" begins with an "e".
and the other "..mpathy" begins with "sy".
Easy.
Next?
27
8. RoyalNorwegian commented 10 years ago
#5 How sympathic! I'm glad you told me.
25
9. BennyMG commented 10 years ago
The video was a perfect description of empathy but a poor one for sympathy. Sympathy is a respectful, agreement or harmony in feelings. The character that was portraying sympathy seemed more patronizing or condescending than sympathetic and that's not what sympathy is.
14
10. SwedishMofo commented 10 years ago
Also, Sympathy isnt too hard to fake, for the purpose of not acting like a jerk.
Lack of Empathy however is a whole different story, since you can't really fool yourself. It just makes you miserable -.-
Lack of Empathy however is a whole different story, since you can't really fool yourself. It just makes you miserable -.-
24
11. roady commented 10 years ago
Sympathy: n. Community of feeling: power of entering into another's feelings or mind: harmonious understanding: compassion, pity. [Greek sympatheia; syn - with, pathos - suffering.
Empathy: n the power of entering into another's personality and imaginatively experiencing his experiences: the power of entering into the feeling or spirit of something (esp. a work of art) and so appreciating it fully.
Chambers English Dictionary.
I think the whole point of the video was to confuse sympathy with fake sympathy and then say at 1:50 finding a silver lining is not sympathetic. It would not do to have people say "Well your problems really aren't that bad and you should stop watching stuff, get off the drugs, and start helping others"
The American drug companies would not be happy.
This is worth tens of billions of dollars a year, if not hundreds and also many deaths.
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/06/prescribing.aspx
http://neuroamer.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/top-10-most-prescribed-psychiatric-drugs-top-10-overall-and-the-10-we-spend-the-most-money-on/
http://ssristories.com/
Empathy: n the power of entering into another's personality and imaginatively experiencing his experiences: the power of entering into the feeling or spirit of something (esp. a work of art) and so appreciating it fully.
Chambers English Dictionary.
I think the whole point of the video was to confuse sympathy with fake sympathy and then say at 1:50 finding a silver lining is not sympathetic. It would not do to have people say "Well your problems really aren't that bad and you should stop watching stuff, get off the drugs, and start helping others"
The American drug companies would not be happy.
This is worth tens of billions of dollars a year, if not hundreds and also many deaths.
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/06/prescribing.aspx
http://neuroamer.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/top-10-most-prescribed-psychiatric-drugs-top-10-overall-and-the-10-we-spend-the-most-money-on/
http://ssristories.com/
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12. Natan_el_Tigre commented 10 years ago
#11 *thumbs up*
+6 1. kaleemyork commented 10 years ago