Philosophy Wire: Empathy… to yourself.

Even when feeling empathy for others isn't financially costly or emotionally draining, people will still avoid it because they think empathy requires too much mental effort, according to new research. [1] We believe that feeling requires effort. But the only effort we need to exercise is not to exercise effort. For the empathy needed is not empathy towards others, but empathy towards yourself. You are the one who needs attention. But you are too sad to believe you deserve it… And so you become the others… And so you offer empathy… And so you lose any chance you ever had to feel it…

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