Question of the Day: Day 302
Is empathy something that we are born with as human beings or is it something that is learned and honed throughout our lives? Can a person who does not seem to have empathy for others ever "get" it?
posted by Michelle at 10:46 AM
1 Comments:
That is a very good question. I think that, to an extent, emotional intelligence empathy is innate; as even some young children exhibit the ability to "feel" for another child- of even adult- who is crying or visibly sad. Then there are those with diagnosed with forms of autism, aspergers syndrome, sociopath personality, & such disorders who simply appear NOT to have the ability to identify emotional cues from, or expressions of others; nor are many of them able to express emotion - they appear to have a blunt "cold" affect at what may be considered inappropriate times.
Some self report having NO desire to feel connected to others, and do not pursue romantic nor friendship relationships.
I think that in some instances, empathy can be a matter or nurture/environment/modeling rather than nature & that if an intervention takes place, it is more likely to be effective when it happens during childhood.
One can hope. Sadly, some will never "get" it.
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