11/09/2024
Erica Christine
EMPATHY IS NOT A VIRTUE
Empathy is simply a tool that if used correctly can help guide our actions and responses to things and situations. Being "empathetic" isn't good or bad, the same as emotions in general are not good or bad. They are also tools, or signals, that allow for us to react to things or situations. They can be justified, or NOT justified; the same as our actions in response to our emotions can be justified or NOT justified.
You are not a "better person" because you CLAIM empathy or believe you are more empathetic than the next person; even if you ARE. The empathy in itself is meaningless, it's only what you do or don't do after that which is important. An abundance of empathy with no action is meaningless, and certainly not good, unless the correct course of action IS no action. Furthermore, an abundance of empathy with over-reaction and even harmful interaction makes the empathy itself meaningless and certainly BAD.
Every atrocity in human history has been conducted using the understanding and sharing of the feelings (or emotions) of others.
So is this saying that empathy is not important or is by default BAD? No. It means it simply is what it is, and NOT what it is NOT. And in the right amount, and with the correct reaction and action or NO action depending on the situation, it can be good. But it is what is done or not done that IS the virtue or not, not the "empathy" that may have been the motivation. This is the same as emotions in general (which empathy detects and then can even amplify). They are not good or bad by default. They can be both good OR bad depending on many factors.
The modern left quite often tout their empathy and it's claimed virtue, and thus superiority over "you", while they then become angry and "justify" their horrific and inexcusable acts based on... their empathy. There is nothing virtuous about this. Nothing at all.
