Health
Five things worth knowing about empathy – The Washington Post
It is a skill that can be learned and enhanced. But it has its limits, and it can even promote conflict. Here’s what some experts say about how it works.
Consider it a cautionary tale for our times, in which politicians urge us to cultivate more empathy, and scientists churn out volumes of work on the subject, with more than 2,000 published papers in 2019 alone. For all its popularity, empathy isnt nearly as simple as so many blogs and books make it seem. Researchers cant even agree on what empathy means: One paper noted 43 different definitions, ranging from basic shared emotions to more lofty mixtures of concern and kindness.
Whatever definition…
