Empathy
A current backlash of empathy reminds me of the assault against self esteem that flared several years ago and still has some targeting it as a source of contemporary malaise. In both instances, there is an element of truth in the charge but it obscures a larger truth and that is that fundamentally self-esteem and empathy are essential ingredients for an ethical life.
Empathy is the basis of caring. And if you don't care about another's fate, there is little reason to take action on his or her behalf. There are exceptions. Studies of moral heroes, people engaged in prolonged pro-social behavior, indicate that only about 10% are motivated by ethical principles.
There are also times in which people do the right thing for the wrong reason, such as the philanthropist whose only concern is to see his name on the side of the children's hospital. Fame and prestige are occasional motivators for good. Their money goes to good causes because society has already defined those beneficiaries as worthy of generosity. Society lays the groundwork of empathy so that others may participate even if they themselves do it for other, less lofty reasons.
Empathy can be weakened by self-concern or social pressure. This is where the other psychological factor comes into play for an ethical life. Someone with a good sense of self-esteem can balance self-regarding and other-regarding behavior. Healthy self-esteem says that I am no less than another but neither are others less than me.
Empathy isn't a sideshow. What is true and far more important is that empathy is necessary but not a sufficient condition for a good life. Feelings need to be transformed into action. But without being able to feel another's pain, without the impulse to help, the world would be a colder and crueler place.
Psychology Today
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