Can you feel sympathy?

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I don't understand what is meant by not being able to show empathy. I believe that everyone shows empathy and NTs just take some peoples silence as indifference. One does not have to make a song and dance about being empathic; empathy is part of the mind and doesn't have to be shown by the body.

When I was young, if I saw someone get hurt, and even if all that person might do is grunt in pain, I would be the person to say 'Ow' or 'Ouch' even if I was just sitting by them watching. Is that not a sign of showing that you feel what the other feels?

No.

Called predicting someone's feeling to mimic empathy but your meant to do it without thinking logical as your assuming that is what they are feeling..

Also think this kinda does not work most of the time...

Empathy is predicated upon and must, therefore, incorporate the following elements:

a. Imagination which is dependent on the ability to imagine;
b. The existence of an accessible Self (self-awareness or self-consciousness);
c. The existence of an available other (other-awareness, recognizing the outside world);
d. The existence of accessible feelings, desires, ideas and representations of actions or their outcomes both in the empathizing Self ("Empathor") and in the Other, the object of empathy ("Empathee");
e. The availability of an aesthetic frame of reference;
f. The availability of a moral frame of reference.


Conditions (b) and (c), for instance, are not satisfied by people who suffer from personality disorders, such as the Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Condition (d) is not met in autistic people (e.g., those who suffer from Asperger's Disorder). Condition (e) is so totally dependent on the specifics of the culture, period and society in which it exists - that it is rather meaningless and ambiguous as a yardstick. Condition (f) suffer from both afflictions: it is both culture-dependent AND is not satisfied in many people (such as those who suffer from the Antisocial Personality Disorder and who are devoid of any conscience or moral sense).

(( Try this 1 last time since it is posted in the new's married part ))

Rdos not even going to bother anymore since you seem to be in-books....

Learning empathy

"We're starting to learn something about [autistic people's] ability; specifically, to predict the actions of other people," he said.

"But I think we're a long way off actually being able to help them."

It is not only autistic people who have a reduced ability to empathise with others - it also happens in conditions such as schizophrenia and depression.

And Dr Michael Isaac, of Lewisham University Hospital in London, said that empathy was something that could be learned to an extent in some people who exhibit autistic-like behaviour.

He stated that this was possible, "if you are explicitly taught - if you are given a series of quite simple rules.

"For example, a lot of what we do is based on imitation. If somebody rises to get up and go, it's almost an automatic response to get up and rise as well... You can learn, to a large degree, to simulate empathy."

However, he added that this was not possible for "the truly autistic person", as for them another person "doesn't exist at all".

The existence of accessible feelings, desires, ideas and representations of actions or their outcomes both in the empathizing Self ("Empathor") and in the Other, the object of empathy ("Empathee");

really going to shoot myself for people jumping the gun...... Notice the use of ""accessible"", I would not like to keep going on that your mistaking empathy for sympathy..


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3690763.stm

Empathy is a feeling of another's true emotions to a point where an empath can relate to that person by sensing true feelings that run deeper than those portrayed on the surface. People commonly put on a ìshowî of expression. This is a learned trait of hiding authentic expression in an increasingly demanding society.

An empath can sense the truth behind the cover and will act compassionately to help that person express him/herself, thus making them feel at ease and not so desperately alone.

Empaths experience empathy towards family, children, friends, close associates, complete strangers, pets, plants and inanimate objects.

Empathy is not held by time or space. Thus, an empath can feel the emotions of people and things at a distance. Some are empathic towards animals (ie: The Horse Whisperer), to nature, to the planetary system, to mechanical devices or to buildings etc. Others will have a combination of the above.

Empaths are highly sensitive. This is the term commonly used in describing one's abilities (sensitivity) to another's emotions and feelings. Empaths have a deep sense of ìknowingî that accompanies empathy and are often compassionate, considerate, and understanding of others.

Empathy is genetic, inherent in our DNA, and passed from generation to generation. It is studied both by traditional science and alternative healing practitioners.

Empathy has both biological/genetic and spiritual aspects.

Empaths often possess the ability to sense others on many different levels. From their position in observing what another is saying, feeling and thinking, they come to understand another. They can become very proficient at reading another personís body language and/or study intently the eye movements. While this in itself is not empathy, it is a side-shoot that comes from being observant of others. In a sense, empaths have a complete communication package.

This is my last part on it.......


/**** // Answer to below No New Post....
Yes poster does – and you do but I was talking to the one who said isn’t this empathy but it is sympathy…. ( He said ouch, I know it hurt’s )…

Was also answering your ( Wait a Second ) --- As that was about empathy…
****/

And some people do have that LVL you can go on course's to get up to the
* human lie detector stage "

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Actually, the poster and I both said SYMpathy! So nope, there was no mistake. The level of empathy you speak of is one I doubt anyone possesses and, of course, people with AS won't possess for NTs.

When I have spoken of empathy, it was something in between, and depends on the circumstance, etc...

Steve

going to Whack you one in a min rdos not the person the other person..... does not matter what background you have a person using empathy right can read anyone... or anything....

Really going to shoot myself for people jumping the gun...... Notice the use of ""accessible"", I would not like to keep going on that your mistaking empathy for sympathy..

Well rdos coz they probably have a conduct disorder - and maybe should be diagnoused with Antisocial Personality Disorder.... Bullys do not just target Aspies

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HEY, ***I'M*** VERY empathic towards myself! We all are! I wish we weren't. 8-(

The TRICK is being empathic towards OTHERS!

BTW I never really did think about the animal bit. I can understand them well, and know how they feel. Even when they aren't too crazy about my being there, etc... I can understand it. I just thought it was "common sense". A trait some believe aspies don't have, it turns out.

Maybe aspies are kind of like dogs in the way scientists look at them. Dogs have much of the same basic programming(for want of another term) that humans have.

They have fear, hate, like, anticipation, the ability to sense distance and angle and figure where something is likely to land, distrust, boredom, etc.... They will EVEN try to pick the best route, and it may not be the most obvious. And many "scientists" doubt most of those abilities/emotions!

If "scientists" find they can't IGNORE it, they will call it instinct! I guess you COULD consider inate programming instinct, but such a definition would require many human reactions to be considered instinct as well.

Steve

Just another thought about logitechdogs ramblings. Not only are Aspies more sensitive, have more empathy towards animals, but they also have superior ESPs. The only thing NTs are better at are to read their *own* facial expressions and body language, and to offer empathy towards their *in-group*.

BTW, how about wars? Are NTs expressing superior empathy by killing their enemy (out-group) in wars as well?