Lack of empathy

donegal__road wrote: »

There has been a dramatic increase over the last number of years, of autism spectrum disorders, including many adults who have recently been diagnosed as having forms of mild Asperger's syndrome without ever having realised it.

People with Asperger's are often characterized as lacking empathy.

I dont want to offend anyone who may have a family member with Aspergers, it just seems that it might be the answer to the OP's question.

y'know, this is just silly. There are a hundred reasons why people may not demonstrate emotion, it doesn't necessarily mean they lack them and by the same token it has nothing to do with autism, nor is it a disorder. I actually find heightened displays of emotion disturbing. Some people just deal with emotion differently. I find as I grow older I have greater respect for my emotional well being, how I deal with feelings, my own and others has become something of an art and at least I find it more satisfying this way.

Olive8585 wrote: »

That's depressing. Not only do you not feel it, you can't believe that other people would.

I have empathy when appropriate. From a practical point of view, however, empathy holds no advantages.

Olive8585 wrote: »

That's depressing. Not only do you not feel it, you can't believe that other people would.

there are lots of different types of people in this world and lots of different ways of processing information, one is not better or less than the other. I don't know if you've come across the meyers briggs personality indicator, it might interest you to discover more about how you process data in comparison to how others do. It's a little Jungian psychology but it might give you some perspective.

Vito Corleone wrote: »

From a practical point of view, however, empathy holds no advantages.

Weird again. To think of an involuntary (or sometimes voluntary) response in terms of what practical advantages it offers.
You look kinda edgy though.

pharmaton wrote: »

there are lots of different types of people in this world and lots of different ways of processing information, one is not better or less than the other.

Having a specific view that might be completely incorrect seems more like a choice/confirmation bias than involuntary processing.

pharmaton wrote: »

I'm putting my hand on my heart here and honestly admitting I don't understand what that means

To say "I think 80% [wtf?!] of empathy is not genuine" seems like something that has been *decided* (due to a particular bias) rather than it just being an involuntary, as you say, processing of information.

Magaggie wrote: »

To say "I think 80% [wtf?!] of empathy is not genuine" seems like something that has been *decided* (due to a particular bias) rather than it just being an involuntary, as you say, processing of information.

ah ok. I thought you were implying that those who don't think the same as you are wrong.

Vito Corleone wrote: »

Just because someone has a different opinion to you doesn't mean they're edgy.

I'd never think that about someone merely having a different opinion to me.

I'm talking about the opinion itself, which I was posting a counter-opinion to.

Olive8585 wrote: »

I personally find a lack of empathy a very bad trait in a person.

Seriously? You find what you consider a lack of empathy a "bad trait". You've really opened up a can worms with that one.:rolleyes:

If you didn't like the person who slipped (supposing they were the "PRICK" who did the terrible crime of dropping fruit on a supermarkert floor) where would your empathy have been?
You're the same as me and pretty much everyone else, on that occasion you felt empathy towards you're colleague and you ticked a little box inside your head. The little box that said, I'm full of empathy for my fellow human beings. After ticking the little box you are now very slow to review the situation and take an objective view of all this, instead you look out at the world and say if only everyone could be wounderful like me, it would be great place. Do you really think it's that easy to divide people into good and bad?

Red21 wrote: »

Seriously? You find what you consider a lack of empathy a "bad trait". You've really opened up a can worms with that one.:rolleyes:

If you didn't like the person who slipped (supposing they were the "PRICK" who did the terrible crime of dropping fruit on a supermarkert floor) where would your empathy have been?
You're the same as me and pretty much everyone else, on that occasion you felt empathy towards you're colleague and you ticked a little box inside your head. The little box that said, I'm full of empathy for my fellow human beings. After ticking the little box you are now very slow to review the situation and take an objective view of all this, instead you look out at the world and say if only everyone could be wounderful like me, it would be great place. Do you really think it's that easy to divide people into good and bad?

Can't speak for Olive, though you're being way too harsh on her, I feel , but if someone I didn't like fell and injured themselves I might have a bit of extremely private schadenfreude in a dark corner of my mind, then cop myself on and realise I have the same fragile human body, which is subject to the same gravitational forces. That's fairly objective, and objectively fair, without getting over-emotional or over-disconnected. Because the cause of the fall has nothing to do with understanding the pain that the person is feeling.

Red21 wrote: »

You're the same as me

I don't know that she necessarily is.

I'd guess those who have this weird issue with people who feel/show genuine empathy to others and don't like coldness/hardness... have this weird issue because they lack empathy themselves, hence all the protesting too much.

Olive8585 wrote: »

If someone I didn't like fell and injured themselves, I'd still feel really bad for them because I wouldn't want to be in their position. Is that weird?

Whats strange to me is that the lady who slipped on the fruit isn't unpopular or anything...a bit of a ditz maybe, but not unpleasant or anything. I was the only person to contact her and ask if she needed anything...everyone else pretty much said it was her own fault and they weren't going to waste time worrying about her. It's sad because this lady is really nice and the first to help others.

That is sad. Things like this always reveal who is sound and who isn't. Hopefully you and she won't stop being sound over it, but you might be more careful who you spend your extra kindness on.