if I get it right, Empathy is when you can recognize what the other person is feeling, AND you also take on some of those emotions, like, if someone is sad, you become said, when someone is happy, you become happy, etc.
Compassion is specifically for when you learn someone is in a negative situation, and you feel concern and sadness about the fact itself.
Thus, if someone has low empathy, they don’t just have a harder time recognizing what the other feels, but also have a harder time taking on those emotions, is that correct?
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Empathy is about understanding on an instinctive level how someone feels and feeling a bit of that feeling as a response. You see someone sad, you become a little sad, even if your life is generally pretty good.
Compassion is caring about the wellbeing of others and wanting to help. You see someone sad, you want to help them with whatever is making them sad.
High empathy, low compassion example:
Your friend is going through a tough time because their hamster died. They keep crying all the time and it’s really bumming you out. It makes you want to cry when they bring it up because you just get weepy whenever anyone cries. You’re not going to invite them out this Saturday because you just want to have fun and there’s no way you can have fun with your friend like they are.
High compassion, low empathy example: Your friend is going through a tough time because their hamster died. You decide to bring them some food and talk it out with them. You don’t really get why they’re so upset about their hamster dying since you don’t even like hamsters, but it matters to your friend so it matters to you. You mostly just listen and nod. Afterwards, you feel good because you could help your friend.
High compassion, high empathy example:
Your friend is going through a tough time because their hamster died. You go over and cry it out with them. It’s not like it was your hamster but you almost feel like it was because of how your friend talks about it. When you go home, you feel exhausted and sad but also good about being able to help your friend.
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