I have been exploring the issue of empathy (or lack thereof) in depth lately. It appears to me that empathy is inherent in the very young (my one year old brings me a stuffed animal when I lay down or offers me a drink or snack when she is having one), but at some point empathy is either reinforced by good parenting and the educational system or literally taught out of the child. The result is a population of adults (many in power) that lack compassion and the ability to walk in another's shoes. We judge before we listen, we condemn before we seek to understand, and we deny without regards to how we would feel if we were the ones in need. It is far too easy to throw stones from the top of the hill.
Below is a link to a great piece entitled "Where is the Love?" by NY Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof. I strongly encourage reading it :)
Where is the Love? by Nicholas Kristof
