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Paul Bloom's Essay 'Emphasis Of Empathy'

1130 Words5 Pages

Hailey Morton
Instructor Phillip Howerton
ENG 110
June 9, 2023
The Emphasis of Empathy

As Paul Bloom once said, "On many issues, empathy can pull us in the wrong direction. The outrage that comes from adopting the perspective of a victim can drive an appetite for retribution.” (“On many issues, empathy can pull us in the wrong direction. The outrage ...”) Often people tend to be more critical of others while judging their feelings, emotions, and capacities. Many do not understand each other’s feelings until they have endured the same experience. So, therefore, can find ourselves moving on from the conversation quickly without talking more about the situation. People should not automatically turn to empathy as a habit. Though, empathy …show more content…

In the essay “Against Empathy” Paul Bloom mentions, “There is a related sense that has to do with the ability to understand what is going on in the minds of others without the spread of feelings of feelings.” People need to understand what is going on amongst each other, so they can help one another, based on their emotions. It is also stated in the essay, “Empathy is more than a reflex. It can be taught, learned, developed, and extended by ways of imagination. It can also be focused and directed by acts of will.” Many people tend to develop a sense of empathy during their lives at various stages than others. Depending on what happens, they could experience loss in many distinct aspects, certain points of happiness or sadness, and so many more life experiences. Once people have experienced things in their lives then it can become easier for them as a person to feel for the other people around them who have also been in their shoes before. In Adam Smith's story, “The Theory of Moral Sentiments” Adam expressed, “It is part of human nature to feel pleasure in one’s pleasure and pain in others pain.” Some people can mention that this may be untrue about being part of human nature because they themselves may not have emotionally matured based on their perspective, leaving them to feel out of place. For example, if someone brings up that their parent or sibling had passed away and the friend has yet to experience it themselves it can be difficult to show support for that

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