I have always argued for human beings to develop their empathetic abilities. Indeed, I do believe that some of us, mostly men, would do well spending a little time&energy training that frontal lobe area.
But empathy, per se, does not guarantee that we will act any more humane than apes. In fact, apes to possess empathetic ability which is not surprising given our close ancestral link. What monkeys, however, do less well than us further advanced representatives is to use that skill to make each other feel one way or another.
Whereas they may try to deceive each other and anticipate one another’s reactions, we go further. Humans have the formidable ability to empathise potential pain and suffering that result from their actions and they may very well choose to use that ability for personal gratification.
In fact, we do it all the time from the little scathing remark to the silent treatment. But worse even, in the upper ranks of a given formal or informal hierarchy it is often being done because they know that they can get away with it. Examples abound. From schoolyard bullies to terrorising dictators.
The power of empathy can have a very dark side.
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