Empathy...gift or curse?

[premeditated]

We need all personality types to make this human experience. We need narcissistic people to run companies. We need a certain personality to run the military. In this life we can't be blessed with everything so embrace your god given personality. But also be open minded to understand what you lack.

The common goal from the use of psychedelics is to better ourselves so that we can either help heal or just be a better version for others. This community wouldn't exist if it were not for a super empathetic mindset. Anyways I believe empathy is God's greatest gift/curse. Anyone else feel like the more you give and feel energies of others the more you possibly lose yourself. Forever I felt empathy is a curse now I'm embracing it as a .

Stay Groovy

 

[ShadedSelf]

I took me a while to figure out that a lof of what I feel its not actually coming from me, I lost myself very early on to the perceptions that others had of me, havent quite collected all the lost pieces yet.

I think its a blessing once you figure out how to make that distiction and set boundaries, so to speak, a curse up until that.
Having the opportunity to fully merge with and clearly see someone else its probably worth it though.

I feel like if we were able to see each other for who we trully are it wouldnt be an issue, we would just be clean mirrors for each other.
But thats not how it is apparently.

 

[yatyas314]

Compassion, at its core, means "to suffer with." It is the feeling that arises when one witnesses another's suffering and is moved to alleviate that suffering. This involves not just feeling empathy, but also actively wanting to help and take action.

I think that it is a gift that can be sometimes overwhelming. You can not fix everyones problems but you can and should care, and do what is in your sphere of influence to help. I think compassion is one of the greatest gifts "god" has given us.
Y

 

[premeditated]

I took me a while to figure out that a lof of what I feel its not actually coming from me, I lost myself very early on to the perceptions that others had of me, havent quite collected all the lost pieces yet.

I think its a blessing once you figure out how to make that distiction and set boundaries, so to speak, a curse up until that.
Having the opportunity to fully merge with and clearly see someone else its probably worth it though.

I feel like if we were able to see each other for who we trully are it wouldnt be an issue, we would just be clean mirrors for each other.
But thats not how it is apparently.

It took me several hours to pose the question so that people understand where I'm coming from. Ironically still worrying about others too much . But I'm glad you feel me because when I have this conversation with a non empath they look confused. Just like I do if someone brings up the topic of scamming..low vibrational activities. Society looks at lifetime addicts as bottom feeders when I believe they are the most sensitive. Wounds from others that can't ever be healed. I know never say never but there's a reality of irreversible damage.

 

[premeditated]

Compassion, at its core, means "to suffer with." It is the feeling that arises when one witnesses another's suffering and is moved to alleviate that suffering. This involves not just feeling empathy, but also actively wanting to help and take action.

I think that it is a gift that can be sometimes overwhelming. You can not fix everyones problems but you can and should care, and do what is in your sphere of influence to help. I think compassion is one of the greatest gifts "god" has given us.
Y

Well said. If I had a choice to turn it off I definitely would in particular situations. So years ago I started limiting the people I get close to...to prevent changing my natural loving nature. But now I've become to isolated. Thought I'd never say this because I preach it all the time I've let life jade me a bit. Rarely giving 2nd and 3rd chances and strict on the red flags. When i met a person that doesn't have compassion I genuinely feel sorry for them

 

[Jamie01]

If society NEEDS narcissistic people to run companies, how is that going to trickle down to everyone else who has to deal with the narcissistic people?

Society is a top down hierarchy. If narcissism sits at the top, then it’s not hard to see why some on the bottom are suffering.

I agree with your post generally…just an observation. Coming from some of the worst places around in terms of homelessness and drug addiction, it’s pretty easy around these parts that money rules and money is power.

The balance in society is way off. Compassion is too $$ for the narcissistic people.

 

[Voidmatrix]

Idk if id say that any of these things are  needs, they just are.

One love

 

[Jamie01]

Empathy is a gift when you can give it to others and help raise up humanity even a little. It’s a curse when your empathy is used by others as opportunities for exploitation.

The struggle is in finding balance.

It would seem that just going off of base emotions it’s easier to just do the selfish thing because individual needs are going to more a priority. Humans seem to spend a lot of time with meditation, yoga, philosophy etc to override those baseline emotions.

We live in a world where some people are billionaires. Other people work 60 hours a week and are nearly homeless. Some people have met the needs of thousands that they hoard away from the rest.

It’s not really going too far out on a limb to say that if it was socially acceptable atm a lot of billionaires etc would just opt for full slavery because it’s the easiest.

The catch is that in the end it’s not easier to live in greed etc and spend all your time grasping at the material.

I don’t have answers but it just seems like greed outpaces empathy or w/e it is that stands in it’s way. It also seems the only way it persists is by growing increasing more bitter and greedy. It seems like this is happening in society.

It would seem empathy isn’t enough and a portion of society needs to be handcuffed.

Then they will say just say they are the victims.

 

[Varallo]

So far this discussion is not really about empathy but rather about values. I think empathy is a psychological capacity, it’s the ability to understand or feel what another is experiencing.
But what you do with empathy depends on your values. A person can be empathetic and still act selfishly if they value personal gain more than the well-being of others. Likewise, someone can suppress empathy if they’ve been taught to value power, competition, or stoicism more highly.

So empathy is in that sense only a capacity, your values determine how you act.

 

[Jamie01]

I see it like aggression. We all deal with a little micro aggression, just as we all experience instances of micro empathy.

I agree it’s about values…but not sure where to go from there.

 

[Varallo]

Yes, I agree, that’s quite a difficult question. Because when it comes to values, it really depends on which values you hold and whether you recognize those values in the first place. But perhaps even more important, and this is key in some of the topics in the discussion above, is whether you’re willing to bring about change in the values that currently seem to play such a significant role in the decisions being made.

Then there’s the question of: I act from my values, but do I do so through virtue ethics, or for example through consequentialism? All these ethical frameworks often, lead to different outcomes.

In that sense, it’s not so much about empathy, but about which values you hold, how you share them with others, what ethics you find of importance and where you want to bring about change. Which values do you actually want to challenge or transform?

Perhaps that’s a more effective starting point, if you know what you want to change, then the next step is to think about how you’ll make that happen.

 

[ShadedSelf]

So years ago I started limiting the people I get close to...to prevent changing my natural loving nature. But now I've become to isolated.

Does that mean that you havent found empathic, loving poeple?

 

[yatyas314]

Well said. If I had a choice to turn it off I definitely would in particular situations. So years ago I started limiting the people I get close to...to prevent changing my natural loving nature. But now I've become to isolated. Thought I'd never say this because I preach it all the time I've let life jade me a bit. Rarely giving 2nd and 3rd chances and strict on the red flags. When i met a person that doesn't have compassion I genuinely feel sorry for them

Over the years of trying to sharpen my gifts I have learned to trust my instincts especially when it comes to people. It might sound odd but I know who is good and who is not who is troubled and who is hurting just by being around them. I do not know how to fully articulate it but its like your body and mind just know, I stopped overthinking it and just stay away from anyone who gives off the bad oura. Also I never judge I just choose to stay away without judgement.
Y

 

[Varallo]

Over the years of trying to sharpen my gifts I have learned to trust my instincts especially when it comes to people. It might sound odd but I know who is good and who is not who is troubled and who is hurting just by being around them. I do not know how to fully articulate it but its like your body and mind just know, I stopped overthinking it and just stay away from anyone who gives off the bad oura. Also I never judge I just choose to stay away without judgement.
Y

There’s a interesting duality here I mean, I do understand what you’re saying, but I think it is by definition judging a book by it’s cover and you might reduce opportunities to really see what someone it’s all about.

 

[premeditated]

Compassion, at its core, means "to suffer with." It is the feeling that arises when one witnesses another's suffering and is moved to alleviate that suffering. This involves not just feeling empathy, but also actively wanting to help and take action.

I think that it is a gift that can be sometimes overwhelming. You can not fix everyones problems but you can and should care, and do what is in your sphere of influence to help. I think compassion is one of the greatest gifts "god" has given us.
Y

Well said. If I had a choice to turn it off I definitely would in particular situations. So years ago I started limiting the people I get close to...to prevent changing my natural loving nature. But now I've become to isolated. Thought I'd never say this because I preach it all the time I've let life jade me a bit. Rarely giving 2nd and 3rd chances and strict on the red flags. When i met a person that doesn't have compassion I genuinely fel

Over the years of trying to sharpen my gifts I have learned to trust my instincts especially when it comes to people. It might sound odd but I know who is good and who is not who is troubled and who is hurting just by being around them. I do not know how to fully articulate it but its like your body and mind just know, I stopped overthinking it and just stay away from anyone who gives off the bad oura. Also I never judge I just choose to stay away without judgement.
Y

Finally I meet someone who is cursed with the beautiful gift. As an African American male we are supposed to wear this emotionless tough guy mask. So i hid it especially in the younger years. What you are expecting is similar to a math genius that can't explain how he naturally sees equations and can figure stuff out. I bet you can see the aura from across the room without even speaking. I can see ppls energies like crazy and most importantly eyes never lie. You can tell me everything is fine but through eyes and energies I can feel the real.

I came up with this experiment. In a completely empty dark room while having a blind fold on. Have 3 different ppl come sit next you to for 5 to 10 minutes. 1 person is extremely sad....next is mad....next is happy...you could put any mood or personality types...would you be able to pick the right ones. Idk how this experiment came to mind but that shows you the things I randomly think about. I honestly feel like my only purpose in life is to befriend and love ppl. All my challenges and struggles have been designed to take me away from who I truly am. It's like the predator and prey system. Introverted, pessimistic and low vibrational ppl always are attracted to me. In my younger years they disguised themselves very well and I got used a ton. But it taught me valuable lessons that most won't ever learn

 

[premeditated]

Does that mean that you havent found empathic, loving poeple?

I have crossed paths with many and we will forever carry a bond. The part that I hate to admit is I let certain situations jade me from being the super open willing to meet new ppl person I used to be.

 

[premeditated]

If society NEEDS narcissistic people to run companies, how is that going to trickle down to everyone else who has to deal with the narcissistic people?

Society is a top down hierarchy. If narcissism sits at the top, then it’s not hard to see why some on the bottom are suffering.

I agree with your post generally…just an observation. Coming from some of the worst places around in terms of homelessness and drug addiction, it’s pretty easy around these parts that money rules and money is power.

The balance in society is way off. Compassion is too $$ for the narcissistic people.

I've experienced the worst places as well. Maybe I used the wrong word NEED but you understand where I'm coming from. Just saying all the different personality types make the world go round. Not judging all super successful money hungry ppl but it takes a certain personality. To be able to kill any competition..step on the head of the next human to conquer. Also takes a certain person to run non profit organizations. Like i said we were blessed with one type and there always is a negative balance. Like a kid that has a busy father making tons of money to support the family. The kid complain dad doesn't love or care to be around but he's grinding for the lifestyle. So the kid rebels and wants to be nothing like him . So when he has a kid he's super involved but doesn't make tons of money. That kid complains he doesn't have the best material life and rebels. The cycle continues. Negative and positive to each. My post was just to see if other empathetic ppl have the same struggles

 

[premeditated]

I took me a while to figure out that a lof of what I feel its not actually coming from me, I lost myself very early on to the perceptions that others had of me, havent quite collected all the lost pieces yet.

I think its a blessing once you figure out how to make that distiction and set boundaries, so to speak, a curse up until that.
Having the opportunity to fully merge with and clearly see someone else its probably worth it though.

I feel like if we were able to see each other for who we trully are it wouldnt be an issue, we would just be clean mirrors for each other.
But thats not how it is apparently.

Setting boundaries is an interesting topic. In my strong opinion The reason a super people's person is extremely attractive is the lack of boundaries. Idk if I'm explaining it right but hopefully you understand. We wear several masks throughout our days. Some wear way more than others. I believe you were the type that naturally doesn't wear one until a person makes you. But if I meet you with your mask off I will keep mine off as well. Sometimes I meet ppl with so many on I don't even have the energy to peel back to see who's underneath

 

[yatyas314]

There’s a interesting duality here I mean, I do understand what you’re saying, but I think it is by definition judging a book by it’s cover and you might reduce opportunities to really see what someone it’s all about.

I should be clearer when I say judge I mean I do not think any kind of way other than that person must have a lot going on or is very hurt I don't ever let it go past that into the realm of assuming or guessing. This topic is so nuanced I have never really had to articulate it before. I appreciate you catching the duality in the post.

 

[yatyas314]

Finally I meet someone who is cursed with the beautiful gift. As an African American male we are supposed to wear this emotionless tough guy mask. So i hid it especially in the younger years. What you are expecting is similar to a math genius that can't explain how he naturally sees equations and can figure stuff out. I bet you can see the aura from across the room without even speaking. I can see ppls energies like crazy and most importantly eyes never lie. You can tell me everything is fine but through eyes and energies I can feel the real.

Do you ever feel that sometimes your ability to take in others emotion or pain and metabolise it has left you rundown and exhausted? but not that you feel used more like thats what you were created for?