Post #1359636
2026-04-06 12:36 UTC
@Susan60
Here we also have to old "you can't learn what you already think you know"-problem, not only in regards to understanding empathy better, but also in regards to becoming more empathic, by being curious and trying to learn more about other people, instead of assuming you already know.
A lot of what's considered empathy is this "assuming to already know", based on an intuitive impression, so being less reliant on it can make you seem less empathic, even if you have more insight.
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Replies (1)
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@hauchvonstaub@nrw.social 2026-04-06 12:52
@Susan60 Barriers to understanding empathy better for many people also seem to be assuming that "if you have it", you also must know what it is, so you must already understand it to some degree, to "not be a psychopath". So you can't learn what it is, since you already know what it is, otherwise "you'd be a bad person" and that can't be. To some degree also be able to see, if others "have it", since you're "using your empathy for that" and if you aren't, then maybe you "lack empathy". 3/3