Are we Empathetic?

  •   Thu, Jun 05 2025
  •   By Marie Grace D'Souza

June 5, 2025

What is Empathy?
 
Empathy is to put oneself in a another person's shoes, which involves discomfort and even pain to some extent.
 
To be empathetic is to feel what another person is feeling, to try and understand what the other person is experiencing or going through. To illustrate, if you have someone who has lost a close family member, saying, 'sorry' is an act of sympathising with them and letting them know that you are with them in grief. However, empathizing would require you to  feel the pain with that person, perhaps through actions of enabling them to deal with the grief in a way best suited for them - this may involve giving them space, or recalling vents or time spent together with the family member lost or helping them cope by sharing your own experience of losing someone close. The support and interaction is involved and personal.
 
How can one develop empathy?
 
To be an attentive listener is essential so that the other person knows that you are genuinely interested and ready to listen to what that person has to say (express). It is also the ability to imagine how someone feels. 
 
It is quite an important rather crucial human trait that can enhance relationships, improve understanding and aid communication. It involves both cognitive and emotional aspects, including understanding their perspective, imagining their thoughts and feelings and also to some extent experiencing their feelings.
 
Difference between empathy and sympathy:
 
There is a marked difference between Empathy and Sympathy 
 
Empathy involves actively understanding and sharing the feelings of another person. It involves experiencing someone else's emotions as if they are your own, including understanding their motivations and perspectives. For example, showing empathy to a friend who has lost his/her job is by understanding that person's anxiety and worry. Further, genuinely trying and helping the friend to get a new job by suggesting and even giving references of job opportunities displays personal involvement and close engagement. On the other hand, being sympathetic would be to say, "Oh, l am so sorry, hope you find a job soon."  Comparatively it's easy to be sympathetic, as we iterally move on from acknowledging the pain more as a courtesy or formality. We don't really feel their emotional distress. Empathy would be to genuinely take interest and help the friend in securing a new job and staying in touch through the process. It involves encouraging them and taking interest to help out wherever needed.
 
In summary:
 
We need to be both Empathetic as well as Sympathetic. It goes hand in hand. Life has many situations that need us to be empathetic - which goes a long way in building deep and long lasting relationships that serve well and sympathetic - which enables us to express solidarity in a courteous way, essential for a healthy and friendly society
 
 
 
 
 
 
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By Marie Grace D'Souza
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Comment on this article

  • Rita, Germany

    Fri, Jun 06 2025

    Dear Marie,Good choice of subject.Well nowadays we dont know whether sympathy is there or only for mouth says,or have to show your sympathy for others sake.Empathy which is coming from your heart ,feel the pain or building emotional bond.This really later might bind people for long.Thats my logic.Thank you for your subject.

  • HENRY MISQUITH, INDIA

    Thu, Jun 05 2025

    Both are important in human relationships! Sympathy shows kindness and concern, while empathy builds deep emotional bonds and understanding. A good balance of both can make us more compassionate individuals.


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