As indicated at the close of the previous post, these final brief comments address two concluding items.

The first has to do with some social benefits of sympathy and, especially, empathy. And here I offer, without further aside, three quotations.

The first one is from Simon Baron-Cohen: “Empathy is vital for a healthy democracy, it ensures that we listen to different perspectives and we hear other people’s emotions, and that we also feel them. Indeed without empathy, democracy would not be possible” (TEDx: The Erosion of Empathy).

And this is the second one: “Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen” (Barak Obama).

Finally, this from William John Ickes: “Empathically accurate perceivers are those who are consistently good at ‘reading’ other people’s thoughts and feelings. All else being equal, they are likely to be the most tactful advisors, the most diplomatic officials, the most effective negotiators, the most electable politicians (would that it were so), the most productive salespersons, the most successful teachers, and the most insightful therapists” (parenthetical comment mine).

In conclusion, for those who might find it interesting and/or helpful, some  religious instruction and/or endorsement of behaviors consistent with sympathy and empathy, even when the terms themselves are not used.

The first ones are from Christian and Hebrew scriptures:

“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.” Zecharia 7:9-10.

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” Matthew 7:12 

“Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 

“Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other.” ! Peter 3:8 

And this is from Buddhism:

In The Essence of the Heart Sutra, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote,

“According to Buddhism, compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It’s not passive — it’s not empathy alone —Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and lovingkindness. That is to say, one must understand the nature of the suffering from which we wish to free others (this is wisdom), and one must experience deep intimacy and empathy with other sentient beings (this is loving kindness)” (Learning Religions, Indian Arts and Culture—see Sources Consulted)

And, finally, these instructive words on empathy from Islam (Sheima Salam Sumer—see Sources Consulted):

Is empathy encouraged in Islam? Absolutely! Our Prophet himself would always feel our suffering and is praised by Allah for his empathetic nature.

Showing empathy will improve your relationships and develop your character as a Muslim, because you will become a more compassionate and helpful person. “When you show someone that you understand them, either by reflecting their feelings or summarizing what they’ve said, you bring instant comforting relief and peace to that person.”

The Prophet himself also encouraged us to feel empathy for each other, as he was reported to have said: “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.”

Conclusion

With a collective sigh of relief, these posts on sympathy and empathy draw to a close. We explored various definitions and usages of the terms, the crucial importance of sincerity in their communication, some possible positive and negative effects of their expression on both receivers and givers, and now have drawn to a close with some brief social benefits they offer and some endorsement of sympathy and empathy from three of the world’s religions.

If you have managed to stay with me through these posts, I’m sure you are aware of all that could have been said on these subjects, but wasn’t, as well as other aspects of the topic that might have been covered, but weren’t. Nevertheless, I hope you took away something of value and benefit for your faithful reading and that you have been encouraged in the practice of offering sympathy and empathy appropriately and sincerely, as well as being grateful when you have received them.

So, until next time . . . .

Sources consulted/cited

Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Britannica: Springfield, MA., 2016.

Oxford English Dictionary, Third Edition, Oxford University Press: United Kingdom, 2010.

Jay McInerney, The New York Times Book Review, 6 Aug. 1989.

Sympathy Vs Empathy – Definitions from Grief Experts, Grief and Sympathy (website).

Richard Fisher, “The surprising downsides of empathy,” BBC Future, In Depth/Psychology, Oct. 1, 2020.

Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, J.B. Lippincott & Company: Philadelphia, PA, 1960.

Henri J.M. Nouwen, Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life, Ave Maria Press: Notre

     Dame, IN, 2004.

Laura Veroba, “6 Reasons Why Sincerity is Important to Providing Excellent Patient Care,”  Sep 6, 2017,

   The Patient’s Point of View. Maxident, Practice Management Software (website).

Chandler MacLeod, “The importance of empathy and honesty for leaders.” Unleashing Potential,

      (website).

Neel Burton M.D. “Empathy vs. Sympathy”,  Psychology Today, May 22, 2015 (revised April 27, 2020).

Carl Rogers, William John Ickes, Simon Baron-Cohen, Barak Obama. Center for Building a Culture of

    Empathy (website).

“5 Dangers of Empathy: How Can Empathy Hurt You Bad,” HappinessIndiaProject (website).

Learning Religions, Indian Arts and Culture: Buddhism, “Buddhism and Compassion” (website).

Sheima Salam Sumer, “Empathy: A Trait that Can Transform Your Life,” The Productive Muslim

    Company, Mon 20 Rabi Al Thani.

Brainy Quote, “Empathy Quotes” (website).

“Our divided times are an opportunity for empathy. Really.” Jamil Zaki, Robb Willer, Jan Gerrit Voelkel,

    and Luiza Santos. Op Ed, Washington Post, 12/29/2020.