tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post6795221647292681779..comments2023-10-23T12:23:54.134-05:00Comments on Larry James' Urban Daily: Empathy lagging for younger folksLarry Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06124477733714017000noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-2092776409965461822010-06-17T12:48:52.548-05:002010-06-17T12:48:52.548-05:00As a 20-something who feels very involved in empat...As a 20-something who feels very involved in empathetic endeavors, I have to agree that from my perspective I view it more as a social trend. I know many people my age who care deeply about social justice and work for better communities and a better world. And on the flip side, I probably know more that don't. However I could probably say I know way fewer of my parents generation who are so commited to others. Especially during these economic times I think people are most selfish. When sadly it should be a time of the most outreach.Mandy Schalk Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16233429491640316707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-40840561809677771952010-06-08T07:47:46.082-05:002010-06-08T07:47:46.082-05:00I'm not sure if it is fair to assess or study ...I'm not sure if it is fair to assess or study someone's empathy in their college years. This is a time when your world is all about you and school and your future. You are gathering information and knowledge almost at exponential rates from all the new stimuli and new experiences. Granted I don't want to make excuses as I do feel that there is a sense of that this generation feels that things are owed to them. Let me not digress, but I think that to assess empathy in this way is not very accurate. Also I think it's fair to say we are all empathetic to what we can relate to. Their experiences are so distant because often times their parents have pushed them to do so many things that they couldn't fully commit or attach to one. Just my opinion. <br /><br />Whether it's a fair or accurate assessment my question is what do we do about it? How do we insure that the next generations do not follow in these footsteps?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-20610025050165566102010-06-05T11:29:09.271-05:002010-06-05T11:29:09.271-05:00"Tea Party folk display practically no empath..."Tea Party folk display practically no empathy whatsoever and they are generally over 50."<br /><br />Really? <br /><br />I care so much for you that I want you to be able to support your own needs, with dignity. I pay for education and training programs, facilities, support systems, medical care, & counselors to help you develop your mind, maintain your health, and set goals that can lead to your comfort and happiness.<br /><br />I care so much for you, that I will hold you accountable for your own failings. Then, after you accept responsibility for your part of the problem - recognizing the other contributing factors - that I will turn to help you and make sacrifices to ensure your transition is complete.<br /><br />I care so much about you that I will not let you lie to yourself to enable you to continue in your poverty. And then I will admit to you that I fall into similar false beliefs about myself and that I need you to keep me straight about myself, too.<br /><br />I care so much about you that I give time, energy, and money to meet broader societal needs you cannot address - matching resources to problems to create environments you depend on but do not acknowledge.<br /><br />I care so much about you that I think about the implications of my vote, meet with engaged people to discuss appropriate strategies, and fund candidates that will change our system to one that makes all the above efforts more fruitful, to one that helps reduce my frustration with inefficiency and graft, and encourages a more joyful attitude about giving.<br /><br />My friends and I make up the Tea Party. It is our way to participate - and even though many try to delegitmize and marginalize our efforts, we are doing the same thing that other groups have done in the past to make a difference.<br /><br />The last thing you want is for me and my friends to give up on the process.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-42769707833124082002010-06-04T20:08:44.593-05:002010-06-04T20:08:44.593-05:00It was reported this week that the health care in ...It was reported this week that the health care in Canada is broke. Ditto Greece and other European countries.<br /><br />Europe is failing faster than the US and that is really saying something.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-19118648869727664842010-06-04T10:03:14.374-05:002010-06-04T10:03:14.374-05:00Empathy = Socialism? One wonders where that came ...Empathy = Socialism? One wonders where that came from? <br /><br />The bible talks of "What you do to the least of my brethren". I often wonder which bible most of the bible thumpers are reading. <br /><br />Also, Canada and Europe are hardly failed states. In many measures they outrank the US, wellbeing of citizens, health, financially, etc.Lorleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10637942889958085683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-26625652057896946302010-06-03T18:58:02.076-05:002010-06-03T18:58:02.076-05:00You socialists need to consider that socialism has...You socialists need to consider that socialism has never worked and it is failing in Europe and Canada as I write.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10713185419474601750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-63975348809484543622010-06-03T13:46:43.798-05:002010-06-03T13:46:43.798-05:00It would be interesting to give a retest to some o...It would be interesting to give a retest to some of the folks who took the test in the 80s to see if they have maintained their high levels of empathy. Both political parties cater to self-interest but the Tea Party folk display practically no empathy whatsoever and they are generally over 50. Even liberals rarely make the kind of appeals to conscience we heard from Dr. King back in the day.Alan Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18095957633114330156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-23133250780992025912010-06-03T10:19:21.914-05:002010-06-03T10:19:21.914-05:00I don't know how you extrapolated to your comm...I don't know how you extrapolated to your comment about the sky falling, I was simply noting a trend in the comments on line that show little or no empathy.<br /><br />And golly, your comment fit right in.Lorleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10637942889958085683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-70292824759936340872010-06-02T16:39:29.357-05:002010-06-02T16:39:29.357-05:00I, with Lorlee, question whether this is a general...I, with Lorlee, question whether this is a general societal trend, and not something explicit to the college-age kids. <br /><br />Our society as a whole has become more content to sit around and do everything from our armchair (or computer screen) rather than take real action. We'd rather click to support causes on social media and twitter about injustice, but we are unlikely to do anything real about it. Yes, the youth are more technologically savvy, but I see declining empathy in the older generations as well.<br /><br />Technology has often supplanted, rather than augmented, empathy.Danielhttp://speedingup.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-84788789475526101052010-06-02T14:20:43.359-05:002010-06-02T14:20:43.359-05:00Lorlee - don't forget that the sky is falling!...Lorlee - don't forget that the sky is falling!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-38639896798248519602010-06-02T09:50:58.473-05:002010-06-02T09:50:58.473-05:00Not sure it is just the younger generation -- I de...Not sure it is just the younger generation -- I despair when I read comments online. <br /><br />To paraphrase Jack on Lost "We have to live together or we are going to die alone"Lorleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10637942889958085683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9827454.post-53071523668474932562010-06-02T06:30:28.507-05:002010-06-02T06:30:28.507-05:00It was interesting to note that the researchers no...It was interesting to note that the researchers noticed the biggest drop in empathy in the year 2000, a year before 9/11. Apparently, the world was changing before the Towers fell.Dean Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08858336357945986574noreply@blogger.com