Showing Empathy.

Schools and organisations are constantly speaking about emapthy and its importance. Empathy has always been a sort of abstract idea and people have tried to simplify its meaning. A common idea of empathy is to put oneself into another’s shoes so as to experience the other person’s feelings. We believe that by doing this, we can feel the same way as another person feels. This would help us help other people in a better way.

But is this really true? Can you really feel what a poverty stricken person or a person, who has just been through a disaster, feels each morning he wakes up?

I think not. If you argue that we can make assumptions based on what we may know. I ask; what do we really know? Here in Singapore where just about everyone has his own home, and is able to survive on his monthly pay with at least some spare cash; not many people can actually imagine how a disaster victim would feel like.

Because of this, we would rather donate items than to personally get in touch with the victims and help them. Is this truly empathy? Some say that this takes place as most of our lifestyles allow us mainly to mingle among people whom we are close to and are of the same status as us; and that we do not really know how we could relate to the under-privileged other than through donations.

I feel it is not our lifestyles, but the selfish attitude that we adopt that stops us from showing compassion for others. I mean, I would rather work and donate money than to personally help out at a home; it takes less time and effort. We tend to use reasons mentioned earlier, such as “We do not know what else we can do to help” so that we can just donate and save time, effort and money. So is monetary aid really a show of empathy?

The people of Bolivia who were victims of the flood surely received monetary aid, but at that point in time, when they realised their losses, I doubt that they ever thought of money. A word of console or a shoulder to lean on would have been just as comforting at that moment.

I am not saying that monetary aid is not important, I am just trying to bring across the point that money is not everything. One could live in poverty and yet be happy and joyful, but one cannot live peacefully if he is depressed, even if he were rich.

Let us show true empathy and not just give because we are obliged to. Let’s help somone because we truly want to and because we care. Empathy is, essentially, doing something to help someone, but more than that, to make him feel good; and all this because we really care about the other person’s feelings.


Article: Thousands hit by Bolivia flooding

President Evo Morales has sought to reassure Bolivians that international aid is arriving to help deal with widespread flooding.
Floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rain have left at least 13 people dead.
More than 30,000 families have been affected, the authorities say, but only 3,000 have received relief so far, officials say.
Mr Morales is dealing with his first emergency since becoming Bolivia's first indigenous president last month.
He has secured several million dollars of aid from international agencies and foreign governments, including the United States and Japan.
Cuba is sending doctors and medicines, while Venezuela has promised food aid.
"We've received great solidarity from the international community," Mr Morales said on Tuesday.
'Feel like crying'
Pounding rainfall across the country has caused rivers to burst their banks, swept away bridges and triggered mudslides.
Santa Cruz, Beni and La Paz provinces have been the most affected.
After flying over eastern Bolivia, President Morales said the flooded villages, crops and roads had made him feel like crying.
Torrential rains are expected to continue over the coming weeks of Bolivia's rainy season, meteorologists say.