What if Irony is Judging Others for Lacking Empathy?
I cannot believe
it’s been 10 years
since the publication
of my book.
To celebrate this occasion
and to share my work more broadly,
I’m launching a 10-part series
of short writings (mostly 1 pagers)
on empathy.
Click here to gain access at free-of-charge.
This is a work-
in-progress.
You can comment on it
so as to influence my direction
The first 6 parts
have already been published.
I plan to publish the other 4
throughout the year.
When using
a table saw,
there is the danger
of severing
our fingers.
What’s remarkable
is that so long as we have
a clear understanding of the danger
in using the table saw
many of us find it sufficient
to work up the courage
to engage with it
despite the danger,
instead of staying stuck
in the thought
of severing our fingers
which merely gives rise
to fear.
When someone judges us
a “difficult
case,”
it can be easy
to blame ourselves
for being
a “difficult,
case.”
While this may mean
there is something extraordinary
about us,
it also means
that someone with greater skills
will not not judge us
a “difficult
case.”
p.s: This was inspired by a meeting with a doctor who called my wife a “difficult case,” while asking her to work with another doctor with more experience and skill. An unfortunately common case of compassion without empathy, displayed by many of us, including yours truly, when we take on the role of caregiving.
Sometimes
arrogance can arise
in the presence
of another person
whom
we distrust.
When we hyper-empathize
with someone
or something,
Our self-worth
becomes contingent upon
that someone
or something,
Our self-image
depends on the perception of
that someone
or something.
It can be hard
not to hyper-empathize
with someone
or something.
That someone
or something
better be really important.
The more you feel anxious
of something that must be done
the more you need to carve out time
to zoom out
