Empathetic, Sympathetic, Compassionate.

Started by Universe October 9th, 2015 8:42 PM
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  • 28 replies

Crystal Berry

Crystal Mistress

Female
United States
Seen January 7th, 2020
Posted December 19th, 2019
720 posts
7.7 Years
I'm capable of all three. If someone feels the same pain I do then I can easily feel empathy towards them. If it's something else I think I can still feel empathy, but I'd feel for sympathy than empathy because if it's something I haven't experienced then how can I feel the same emotions they're feeling? As for compassion; I can be compassionate to pretty much anyone who I don't hate, and I try to help those in need even if I don't know them.

PageEmp

I can’t do money puns. It just doesn’t make any cents.

Male
with an axe
Seen 1 Day Ago
Posted 4 Weeks Ago
12,445 posts
7.8 Years
>Being kind
>lolnope.

Why would I be anyway?


































Ok sorry.
I… might put something interesting here eventually.

Early

☆ My, how the Earth does move... ☆

Age 24
Non-binary
Out of This Dimension
Seen January 3rd, 2017
Posted December 18th, 2016
214 posts
10.9 Years
It admittedly depends on the person, and sometimes their situation as a whole. I love helping people, but I can be a really apathetic person in general a lot of the time due to bad experiences with past peers. I don't mean to be, though, and if someone who isn't a total stranger to me is having a hard time, I'll definitely step in and offer them some form of help if I can. Sympathy and compassion are both things I can offer at best, but that can change if the person in question is going through something I can relate to; my empathy tends to pop up with abuse victims and social outcasts, for example.
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Evening

Non-binary
(Blank)
Seen December 1st, 2021
Posted February 5th, 2016
808 posts
9.4 Years
I'm barely capable of any of them.
By those definitions, the closest I can come to any of these is compassion.

I will listen and try to offer something useful if I think it will help, but I can't say I particularly care either way what someone decides to do or tells me. It doesn't cost me anything to listen and/or provide words that could help them resolve (or at least feel better, or even just provide a different perspective of) their situation, so if I can, I will. If that's compassion, then OK; good for me. But I don't ascribe that element of personal interest to it. I don't push people for information under the pretense of caring, because I don't. If people WANT to tell me something, I listen. If they WANT my help, I'll give it if I can. That's as far as it goes. It's their thought and their feelings, and what they choose to do about them, if anything, is their affair. If talking to me or asking me for advice is a part of that, then I'll help. I suppose it's compassion of a different kind, because I could just as easily turn them away, but it's not really personal to me; it's just another conversation. I'm not thinking their thoughts, or feeling their feelings. How could it be personal to me? All I know is what they're telling me. It's not MY problem. Involving me doesn't make it my problem either.

I can't say I'm particularly sympathetic to others, because I hate it when others are sympathetic to me. Sympathy is a waste of time. So you're miserable because I'm miserable. How does that help me feel better? Should I feel better because you're suffering on my behalf? How does this resolve things in any way? I can't just pass my problems on like that, can I? It's a twisted form of emotional martyrdom that is completely unnecessary and absolutely useless. It serves no purpose other than to make someone else feel better about your problems. I loathe it. It's one of the many reasons that I won't tell people when something is bothering me - it's quite enough that I'm bothered, thank you, I don't need sympathy.

As for empathy...well, I just find it extremely arrogant to assume you know what another person is feeling because you may have had a similar experience, so its not something I tend to show. I might, privately, think I have an idea, because I'm arrogant enough to assume these things in the space of my own mind, but I'm not going to presume I do out loud unless I'm told by the other person that I definitely know where they're coming from, and even then I'm going to take that with a pinch of salt. Suffering is not comparable.

To me, all three of these things are very selfish practices, by the definitions listed above. They aren't for the benefit of the other person, they're for YOU, and they're YOUR reaction to someone else's feelings. In trying to consider someone else's feelings, you are in fact disregarding them entirely in the face of what you want to do to resolve them, regardless of what the other person might think or feel regarding your interference. If you're willing to involve yourself in others lives emotionally in this fashion, I've always thought it better to see what someone else wants of you - if indeed they want anything at all - before you react. After all, it's none of your business unless they choose to involve you. That's just my personal opinion, though.

...yeah, I know. It's no wonder I don't have any friends, right? Haha.

Nolafus

Aspiring something

Age 27
Male
Lost in thought... again
Seen March 3rd, 2018
Posted March 11th, 2017
5,722 posts
10.9 Years
I'm... actually not very capable of any of them.

I'm not very good when it comes to other people's emotions. My normal reaction to someone telling me about this horrible thing that happened to them is a sense of panic as I know I'm not the person to talk with about these sorts of things. I have tried several times in the past, and no matter what I do, I always seem to make the other person angry and wish they never started to tell me. I'm always up for chatting, but please don't expect me to be a very good shoulder to cry on. I'll try my best, but there's your warning.
PairPC sister

天 (Caine)

Flower Child

Age 31
Male
Vice City
Seen December 25th, 2016
Posted October 17th, 2016
452 posts
7.7 Years
I'm capable of all three, for better or for worse. I have a very strong urge to help others, at times sacrificing what's best for me to help those in need. I've stayed up all night for friend of mine who was on the verge of suicide. I feel that all three of these things, compassion, sorrow, and empathy are extremely important to have in this society. Without these, life would be extremely violent and all will be lost. These things are what keeps society together and allows us to move forward as a species.

Hydro Pumper

Water Pokemon Trainer

Male
Australia
Seen February 15th, 2019
Posted October 5th, 2018
89 posts
11.4 Years
I like this topic. As for me definitely empathy, as I tend to become an emotional sponge in both positive and negative situations. I'm sensitive to the moods of others, often pick these up and mirror them without much effort. For instance if someone close to me is upset I'll often feel as though I am experiencing the same problem as well, though I can become the one with the loudest belly laugh at a party when my friends and I are having a really good time together.

I often find meditation and herbal teas help keep me grounded and maintain my objectivity in a challenging or professional situation. :) And over time I have learnt to accept that I am a sensitive person, its who I am, so I now understand how to make the most of it (ie, in my career) while at the same time keeping it in check so it doesn't hinder me. I like to think that this has helped me develop an ability to be compassionate. This is particularly helpful at work where I supervise a team and need to help manage a positive workplace culture, so I can identify problems before they snowball or be seen as an approachable leader.

Just keep swimming~!
Male
Somewhere
Seen February 9th, 2016
Posted November 27th, 2015
50 posts
7.6 Years
I'm more empathetic than anything else, I think. It's not just when someone is in distress either, I just kind of absorb emotions from people. That usually leads to sympathy and compassion, if I care about the person.

I just realised how vampiric my emotions are... O.o

starseed galaxy auticorn

PC's Resident Auticorn

Age 34
she/he/they
the land of magical unicorns
Seen 1 Week Ago
Posted 1 Week Ago
6,648 posts
18.9 Years
I'd have to say empathetic. I get really anxious when someone is upset or sad or whatever. It's almost as if I can feel it. The thing is too that most people think autistic people can't be empathetic because they don't show it. Well, this is actually a myth because while we may not show it, we do feel it more than anything. We just can't express those feelings properly since the wiring in our brains is off or whatever.

Anyway, yeah... I consider myself to be more empathetic than anything. Like I said, when someone is in some sort of distress... I can sense it. It's usually to the point where I end up getting really bad anxiety over how they feel because it's overwhelming. I also think there's a little sympathy there as well. But again, it's something I have a hard time being able to express like said above. People often feel like they can come to me with anything, and it'll be at a point where I'm not sure how to deal with it. I try to, but I end up failing a lot it seems. :c

Juno

OK I PULL UP

Age 28
Female
Seen 1 Day Ago
Posted 5 Days Ago
4,561 posts
9.5 Years
I'm... actually not very capable of any of them.

I'm not very good when it comes to other people's emotions. My normal reaction to someone telling me about this horrible thing that happened to them is a sense of panic as I know I'm not the person to talk with about these sorts of things. I have tried several times in the past, and no matter what I do, I always seem to make the other person angry and wish they never started to tell me. I'm always up for chatting, but please don't expect me to be a very good shoulder to cry on. I'll try my best, but there's your warning.
Pretty similar to this. It usually depends on who it is, but unless I feel like we are very close I usually just feel kind of uncomfortable to be confided in and I don't really know what to say or offer when someone is in distress. That's not to say I won't feel a certain level of sympathy if something terrible has happened to you, I just don't know how to help.

I think I'm also bad at perceiving how 'close' someone is to me, because a lot of people I consider acquaintances seem to like telling me their problems and sometimes I just feel a sense of "where is all this coming from, why are you choosing to tell me all this" because I truly am awful at consolation. Still, I know some people just want someone to listen to them sometimes, and I can do that, I just probably won't be able to offer you anything or make you feel better.

Empathy is not something I feel very often unless we are going through the same situation (eg. grieving the same person), and I mainly feel compassion for people I really love and care about.

tl;dr I can mostly sympathize, I likely can't help

Wicked3DS

Until the very end.

Age 31
Male
New Jersey
Seen February 24th, 2022
Posted October 5th, 2021
4,592 posts
9.7 Years
I'm capable of feeling all three of these, but it always depends on the situation and how close I am with the person. In any case, I try to do my best to care about people in any way I can.

Taemin

MOVE

he / they
USA
Seen January 6th, 2023
Posted December 9th, 2022
11,196 posts
17.8 Years
I have all three to extent where sometimes I have to stop and tell myself to detach a little and think more rationally, or I just worry about and wanna help everyone, all the time. I can't not help someone if it's at all within my power to do something for them. At work sometimes I have to tell myself to mind my own job, and not step out of line to help with every single thing. lmfao Empathy is great for my acting and voice acting, though, haha.

I think empathy and compassion are my strongest because I don't feel sorrow so much as, more just.. trying to understand how they feel, and seeing things from their point of view, and then trying to help them through it however I can, and staying gentle and such. I know that my feeling "sorrow", while I could, would not help me and help them.


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It's an area that no one else can fill
The night's never gonna be the same.

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paired to Palamon

Margaery Tyrell

Growing Strong

Age 24
Female
USA
Seen February 28th, 2018
Posted November 27th, 2016
335 posts
10.4 Years
I'm capable of all 3, but I tend to feel sympathy and compassion most of the time - I'm an extremely caring person, and so I'm a really good person to confide in. I've become adept at offering and creating solutions and acting as guides for people when they encounter problems they aren't certain about handling or solving themselves. I dunno, I'm just a really genuinely nice person as incredibly sappy and trashy as that sounds.
But he who dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the
R O S E

Cariad

world.search(you);

Age 23
Seen 2 Days Ago
Posted May 12th, 2020
1,347 posts
12 Years
Easily compassion. I am literally unable to feel empathetic, it's not in my brain, I just don't understand it. Although I'm a little sympathetic, I'm definitely the most compassionate.

Mawa

The typo Queen

Age 30
Female
Canada
Seen August 13th, 2020
Posted March 1st, 2020
I think I have sympathy and compassion, but not empathy.
I really want my friends or the person in distress to be better and I can't stand when someone isn't feeling well. I am always worrying for my friends (they trend to be always in bad situation, like financial or emotive) but if they come to talk with me when I am not feeling well, I won't be able to help them. My emotions goes before their emotions. I don't know if I express myself the right way, it is hard for me to express myself in English.

But basically that's it. I can't take time for you and have empathy if I am in a bad mood, but I am always worrying for the others and I want them to go well, I want everybody to be happy. But if I am not, don't come to me, I can't help you.
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Melody

Banned

Female
Cuddling those close to me
Seen March 4th, 2018
Posted March 2nd, 2018
6,459 posts
18.6 Years
It actually depends on the person in question and the level that I've come to know them. At the minimum, I do have loads of Empathy and can definitely feel someone else's pain if I'm made aware to the extent of their suffering, though the emotions I may mirror or express outwardly in these cases are going to be my own reaction to the suffering, not theirs. Normally this is harmless though and it does tend to be a bonding experience, but I do try not to let this get too carried away...there are times when that quality of me has drowned out my own feelings and caused me some not so good things.

Sympathy is usually what comes secondarily to me, and I have plenty of it if I have some bond, of at least friendship, with a person. But it does tend to require that much...otherwise I'd be overcome with empathic noise and I'd be having a hard time filtering my own emotions from the others. Granted it does take at least a touch of sympathy to feel empathy too, but that's not much...just the amount that comes from knowing that someone is having a really bad time and shouldn't fairly be suffering that way.

Those of you who know me though, do know that I am capable of some very deep and profound amounts of compassion. Normally though this requires I've felt the other two before this comes out in any large amounts...so if i've any reason to lack those it may not come so rapidly.

moon

they/them
Seen 13 Hours Ago
Posted 2 Days Ago
37,443 posts
15.5 Years
Empathic and somewhat compassionate. But I don't quite think what I feel when someone is in distress quite fits into these categories, it's mostly a mix depending on whom and the situation.
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Universe

all-consuming

Seen November 16th, 2016
Posted November 16th, 2016
2,239 posts
9.6 Years
i'm very empathetic, and it's actually been getting stronger with time. feeling someone else's emotions takes on a whole other meaning for me.. it's really overwhelming, and even painful a lot.

despite all the bad (and good!) i've felt through empathy, it's one of my favorite personal aspects.. the perspectives and facets it adds to my life are priceless.

" Catchphrase! "

Sonata

Don't let me disappear

Age 27
Male
Indiana
Seen 1 Hour Ago
Posted March 25th, 2023
13,619 posts
10.2 Years
I'm very compassionate and empathetic. I guess sympathy just naturally ties itself in there too but it's not as strong as the other two and more so a byproduct of one, the other or the combination of the two. Sympathy I feel comes more in to play when I see someone that I don't know or haven't seen before going through something. If I see someone crying but have no idea who they are I might feel bad that they're crying and try to see if there's something I can do for them or find some way to brighten their day or cheer them up. But if I saw someone who I knew crying then I'd be more empathetic and then immediately try to give them an emotional pep talk and maybe hug them or something. Idk. Inquire about and show a genuine interest as to what's troubling them and what I can do if anything. Or sometimes just don't say anything at all. Just sit there and hold them until they stop. Idk, just being someone that's there for them so that they're not sitting by themselves in silence or crying or whatever.