FabSwingers.com forum: Empathy

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

What things can you or do you do to really empathise with another?

Is empathy really possible, or do we just operate from our own bubbles?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

What things can you or do you do to really empathise with another?

Is empathy really possible, or do we just operate from our own bubbles?"

I feel your pain

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Its a blessing and a cure to share when someones down unfortunatly i do it all the time others moods affect me so badly either good or bad

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Its a blessing and a cure to share when someones down unfortunatly i do it all the time others moods affect me so badly either good or bad"

Is that really empathising, or just being affected by their mood?

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By *oc30Man
over a year ago

Cheltenham

"Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

What things can you or do you do to really empathise with another?

Is empathy really possible, or do we just operate from our own bubbles?"

As doctors we face this dilemma everyday of feeling the empathy but also have to numb ourselves to carry on working otherwise it’s impossible to see so much death and grief and to act as normal

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I’m only capable of listening and offering reassurance, mainly with a cuddle.

I’m good at it though.

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By *oxy_minxWoman
over a year ago

Scotland - Aberdeen

I can personally empathise with anyone and their situation, unfortunately this type of website, I find most people don't have a clue what the word means never mind act on it!

They used to when I first joined, but that was 10 years ago and a lot has changed since then, and not for the good! Now? Most just don't give a shit about anyone else

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I can personally empathise with anyone and their situation, unfortunately this type of website, I find most people don't have a clue what the word means never mind act on it!

They used to when I first joined, but that was 10 years ago and a lot has changed since then, and not for the good! Now? Most just don't give a shit about anyone else

In part agreed.

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By *oc30Man
over a year ago

Cheltenham

"I’m only capable of listening and offering reassurance, mainly with a cuddle.

I’m good at it though."

I agree. A well timed hug can work magic.

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By *eliWoman
over a year ago

I think empathy is possible and I've seen it displayed by various people over the years. For me it would be actively listening and not just feeling for them but placing myself in their situation and trying to understand and not just see it from my viewpoint. I'm crappy at it a lot of the time.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Try to understand what its like to walk in someone elses shoes and give unconditional positive regard without judgement.

Not to be confused with sympathy.

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By * and M lookingCouple
over a year ago

Worcester

I often shed a tear watching DIY SOS

Guess I have empathy with the poor souls that they are helping.

Mr M

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Its a blessing and a cure to share when someones down unfortunatly i do it all the time others moods affect me so badly either good or bad

Is that really empathising, or just being affected by their mood?"
way it was explained to me yes by my bestie yes i think its why im so good at reading people face to face too i personslly have no clue as she does most my thinking for me nowadays

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By *loswingersCouple
over a year ago

Gloucester

"Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

What things can you or do you do to really empathise with another?

Is empathy really possible, or do we just operate from our own bubbles?"

Try reading a book called ‘ Against Empathy ‘ by Paul Bloom .

It’s an interesting read which shows that we tend to empathise most towards those who are similar to ourselves , and not towards those who need empathy the most . It actually exposes the fact that empathy can be far more destructive than constructive in many cases . This is proven in all cases from social justice , personal relationships , charity etc...... a real eye opener .

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

True empathy is when we can relate and emulate someone's feelings and truly put ourselves into another person's shoes, however very few people can truly emphasise and this should be done unless we can .

It is better to offer sympathy and support with the realisation we cannot truly help in the right way if we have no prior experience

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By *SAchickWoman
over a year ago

Hillside desolate

I think I can easily empathise with someone if I've been in the same or similar situation to theirs. If I haven't had a similar experience to someone I sometimes have to make a conscious effort to try and empathise as it doesn't always come naturally. I'm not sure if that makes sense to anyone but me

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

What things can you or do you do to really empathise with another?

Is empathy really possible, or do we just operate from our own bubbles?"

Someone's feelings conveyed onto you through reading their emotional reactions?

Or feeling the exact thing someone else feels in a situation you havent experienced?

I feel sad when I see someone or an animal being singled out or tortured (like exercution)

Sometimes I think people have too much empathy.

I am in a kind of bubble and find it hard to empathise with people's problems I see as trivial.

I don't think empathy is always possible. E.g. some soldier who goes to bloody war isn't going to be understood by someone who never experienced that.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I can't choose to be empathetic towards someone. It feels like a curse sometimes; especially at funerals.

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By *r.BlondeMan
over a year ago

Chester/Wirral

If I like them or can relate to them I have empathy for them.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I am pretty empathetic. It doesn't always mean I'm sympathetic

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I can personally empathise with anyone and their situation, unfortunately this type of website, I find most people don't have a clue what the word means never mind act on it!

They used to when I first joined, but that was 10 years ago and a lot has changed since then, and not for the good! Now? Most just don't give a shit about anyone else

How can you truly empathise with anyone, you can only guess at what you think they may be going through. None of know what another person is going through, to think we do is pretty arrogant. No two people are the same and no two situations are the same.

You can sympathise and emphasise up to a point.

You can not be selfish and take people feelings into consideration, but that’s about it.

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By *amissCouple
over a year ago

chelmsford

"Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

What things can you or do you do to really empathise with another?

Is empathy really possible, or do we just operate from our own bubbles?"

Empathy is possible for me, if I've been through similar situations as others have

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I think I can easily empathise with someone if I've been in the same or similar situation to theirs. If I haven't had a similar experience to someone I sometimes have to make a conscious effort to try and empathise as it doesn't always come naturally. I'm not sure if that makes sense to anyone but me

Makes sense

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

What things can you or do you do to really empathise with another?

Is empathy really possible, or do we just operate from our own bubbles?"

Do you think empathy is possible?

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By *r TriomanMan
over a year ago

Chippenham Malmesbury area

I don't consider myself to be very empathetic; feeling empathy for someone is hard when whatever is troubling them I wouldn't even consider as a problem.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I’m not sure we can truly empathise - we can only understand how they *might* be feeling or what they *might* be going through. And even then only when you have had similar feelings yourself.

For example, I thought I could empathise what it must be like to have a loved one seriously ill will cancer. It was only when someone very close to me had it I realised exactly how it felt, not how I imagined it to be.

And now I can empathise based on MY experience, but I don’t know if they’re feeling the same emotions and fears that I did. They may ‘experience’ things in a very different way.

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By *risky_MareWoman
over a year ago

...Up on the Downs

"Empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

What things can you or do you do to really empathise with another?

Is empathy really possible, or do we just operate from our own bubbles?

Try reading a book called ‘ Against Empathy ‘ by Paul Bloom .

Very true.

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By *risky_MareWoman
over a year ago

...Up on the Downs

I am empathetic, sometimes I cannot block it out if I am close to someone, or especially my animals, I empathise with them acutely.

But I am very able to disconnect and block if I don't want to let people impact upon me, don't want to feel their plight, I agree with the poster above.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I've always thought empathy was the ability to put yourself in someone else's place and understand how they might be in the position they're in.

For instance a woman I know hates her husband and lives in a state of passive aggressive misery. I have no sympathy for her but I do understand that this is her second marriage, she is in her 70s, she doesn't want to set up home again or live alone etc. So I can put myself in her place as far as I'm able to understand why she's in that situation. Whether I'm right or not is another matter. I don't think anyone's suggesting that empathetic people can genuinely know how another individual feels even if they've been in a similar situation.

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