I can see a function for tribal empathy and for universal empathy. However, I believe that at this point in history, at least in my country, tribalism is both already dysfunctionally high and increasing, so I do not think it needs to be further enhanced; we are in desperate need for re-affirming our commonalities and reducing our us-vs-…
I can see a function for tribal empathy and for universal empathy. However, I believe that at this point in history, at least in my country, tribalism is both already dysfunctionally high and increasing, so I do not think it needs to be further enhanced; we are in desperate need for re-affirming our commonalities and reducing our us-vs-them mentality.
I will point out another facet of empathy, which I came across in a book on Bonobos long ago. Empathy is required for deception - one has to put oneself in the mind of another in order to know how to deceive them. One example of empathy was getting the keeper's attention when another bonobo was in the zoo moat at the time when water was being returned after cleaning. But another was a bonobo seen on video to observe that a lab assistant had not fully closed a door, but suppressing their reaction until the assistant had left, so as not to give away that fact. Any con man needs to be able to put themselves in the mind of their victims, in order to be effective.
I can see a function for tribal empathy and for universal empathy. However, I believe that at this point in history, at least in my country, tribalism is both already dysfunctionally high and increasing, so I do not think it needs to be further enhanced; we are in desperate need for re-affirming our commonalities and reducing our us-vs-them mentality.
I will point out another facet of empathy, which I came across in a book on Bonobos long ago. Empathy is required for deception - one has to put oneself in the mind of another in order to know how to deceive them. One example of empathy was getting the keeper's attention when another bonobo was in the zoo moat at the time when water was being returned after cleaning. But another was a bonobo seen on video to observe that a lab assistant had not fully closed a door, but suppressing their reaction until the assistant had left, so as not to give away that fact. Any con man needs to be able to put themselves in the mind of their victims, in order to be effective.
Empathy, in the wrong hands...