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Comment author:siIver
06 October 2016 02:35:05PM
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3 points
[-]
I think this is the first article in a long time that straight up changed my opinion in a significant way. I always considered empathy a universally good thing – in all forms. In fact I held it as one of the highest values. But the logic of the article is hard to argue with.
I still tentatively disagree that it [emotional empathy] inherently bad. Following what I read, I'd say it's harmful because it's overvalued/misunderstood. The solution would be to recognize that it's an egoistical thing – as I'm writing this I can confirm that I think this now. Whereas cognitive empathy is the selfless thing.
Doing more self-analysis, I think I already understood this on some level, but I was holding the concept of empathy in such high regards that I wasn't able to consciously criticize it.
I think this article is something that people outside of this community really ought to read.
Comment author:username2
06 October 2016 09:31:39PM
1 point
[-]
I think this article is something that people outside of this community really ought to read.
Interesting. Why people outside of this community? I find it is actually the LW and EA communities that place an exorbitant amount of emphasis on empathy. Most of those I know outside of the rationalist community understand the healthy tradeoff between charitable action and looking out for oneself.
Comment author:DanArmak
06 October 2016 11:15:54PM
0 points
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This doesn't entirely match my impression of the LW community. (I know much less about the non-LW EA community.) What are you basing this on? Were there major LW posts about empathy, or LW Survey questions, or something else?
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Comments (37)
I think this is the first article in a long time that straight up changed my opinion in a significant way. I always considered empathy a universally good thing – in all forms. In fact I held it as one of the highest values. But the logic of the article is hard to argue with.
I still tentatively disagree that it [emotional empathy] inherently bad. Following what I read, I'd say it's harmful because it's overvalued/misunderstood. The solution would be to recognize that it's an egoistical thing – as I'm writing this I can confirm that I think this now. Whereas cognitive empathy is the selfless thing.
Doing more self-analysis, I think I already understood this on some level, but I was holding the concept of empathy in such high regards that I wasn't able to consciously criticize it.
I think this article is something that people outside of this community really ought to read.
Interesting. Why people outside of this community? I find it is actually the LW and EA communities that place an exorbitant amount of emphasis on empathy. Most of those I know outside of the rationalist community understand the healthy tradeoff between charitable action and looking out for oneself.
This doesn't entirely match my impression of the LW community. (I know much less about the non-LW EA community.) What are you basing this on? Were there major LW posts about empathy, or LW Survey questions, or something else?