Anyone not an empath?

Post Reply New Topic

I do hate these empathy threads because everyone starts getting confused, even when the dictionary definition of empathy gets posted.

Then people here try to deny you of empathy by telling you that your empathy is sympathy or compassion (if you've given an example of how you feel/express empathy, even if you feel and express empathy the dictionary definition way).

And then there's the implication that if you fail to put yourself in the shoes of someone in a situation you have not experienced it means you lack empathy. So that means people who say this forget about all the NTs who fail to understand how it feels for Aspies to have sensory issues, not like routine change and avoid social situations.

Uh, empathy threads!

I lack empathy. Sympathy is what I have. I mean I do have some but not enough for anyone to consider me as having empathy unless they know me. Then they will see I do care but I just need to be told things and I don't read minds and I won't know someone's needs unless they tell me. Like my husband can't tell me he is going to commute to the dispensary and I offer to take him because of his feet but he tells me he is fine and he will walk and tells me to just enjoy my game and then expect me to not take no for an answer and then order him to get in my car because I am taking him. If he tells me he will rather walk and take the train, I listen to it. He can't expect me to do the opposite. So we don't play these games. This would be an example of empathy right here but it would be considered as me not having any for listening to my husband and doing as he says.

Cognitively speaking, not as much as I tried there are limits to it. It takes years, and several times of forgetting it.
Affectively speaking, does have it yet personal pride is against it. And it gets carried away out of sympathy. Sometimes this seems too unnecessary -- or so my ego thinks.

Conditionally speaking, it's not enough due to personal pride. This is why I don't mask, this is also why I do not think of myself as a 'good person'.
So, socially speaking, the straight answer is 'no' regardless of effort and intent.


In a metahuman sense, got a serious glimpse of what being an empath actually is, for a day or two. Likely alexithymic in certain standards for being an absolute beginner. It was a heck of an experience.
NTs DO experience and process emotions differently. There are similarities in sensations, but there are more subtle differences. Had a glimpse of another autistic child felt and thought -- it's more familiar, even their overwhelming anxiety. But I cannot say much more than this, because this 'data' is very limited.
There's no need for one's eyes to look at body language nor any explicit words to tell that's what's that's person is feeling.
All I had to do, is stand for about a few feet or so. This type of sensitivity isn't "normal". It's exhausting in a sense one dives into some sort of dumpster -- and everyone's thoughts and emotions, good and bad, are in it.
There's no need to 'rationalize' what is 'right or wrong' or what is 'appropriate or inappropriate', but there is intuition -- something beyond wired instinct -- something beyond any neurology is 'built for', so whatever autism is presented for empathy is practically voided.
And YES, psychic empathy is REAL. I won't fricking forget that I've personally observed it myself.

Spiritually speaking, I'm beginning to be... Autism or any label had nothing to do with it.

Gained Number Post Count (1).
Lose Time (n).

Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.

Can one be very sensitive to other people but without being smpathetic?

Empathy is the ability to "put yourself in another person's shoes" by actually FEELING what the other person is feeling.

Sympathy is commiserating with another person without necessarily FEELING what the other person is feeling.

Most of the time, the only time I feel empathy is when I actually experienced something the other person experienced. I often feel bad for the person having a tough time, though.