How do you "walk a mile" in someones shoes? Is it a matter of empathy?

Question

Namaste

Peace and Love

Answer 1

Empathy (from the Greek εμπάθεια, "to make suffer") is commonly defined as one's ability to recognize, perceive and directly experientially feel the emotion of another. As the states of mind, beliefs, and desires of others are intertwined with their emotions, one with empathy for another may often be able to more effectively define another's modes of thought and mood. Empathy is often characterized as the ability to "put oneself into another's shoes", or experiencing the outlook or emotions of another being within oneself, a sort of emotional resonance.

But these days it seems that there are too many who do not know or care to have empathy.

Answer 2

I'm assuming that YOU know how to walk a mile in someone's shoes, only from the kind of questions you ask, & the things you express. So, the question is, is it a matter of empathy? I think it is. Projecting oneself into another in order to know them better; identification of oneself with another. This is done in so many ways. Knowledge of the other's experiences, sensitivity to their nature/spirit, I'd say, much more "feeling" than intellectual observation. Sympathy is often used as a synonym, but there is a difference. I've also never observed that empathy could be "learned," at least not in it's greatest depth. (Which brings up another question.) Two children can grow up with the same parents--who are empathetic--in isolated environments, & one hasn't got a whiff of it, while the other is empathetic from such a young age, most people wouldn't think them yet capable of "learning." The question would then be, what is the source? I seem to be following yet another path! Sorry. Short answer: Yes, it is empathy.

Answer 3

Yes but 'empathy' in itself is just a word. It takes practice. It takes a kind of endurance. It's hard work requiring a dedication to doing things better than before. I'm a teacher and it is understanding the processes of learning and how it applies to my students that requires walking in another's shoes. It might me empathy but there's a lot of work to be done before that's even a distant possibility. Mutual respect allows empathy but the hard yards have to be won first.

Answer 4

Yes, it is empathy. I have learned empathy only as I have suffered.... yet empathy is the glue that binds us all together in love and tolerance. So hence, God lets us live this life of pain so that we can learn to have empathy, as He does.

Answer 5

It doesn't have to be empathy in that sense. But I believe it's a lesson on taking time to stop and try to see it from the other side, instead of just assuming that we are right and they are wrong.

Answer 6

Yes on the empathy, which is an evolutionary step. The more empathy you have, the more use you have of your right brain lobe.

Find the human inside yourself, then it's easier to do so in others.

Answer 7

That's pretty much the definition of empathy, as I understand it, to try and put yourself in the other's place, and understand where they are coming from....not an easy task...

Answer 8

you stalk them in the gym, wait until they are in the showers, and "borrow" their shoes.

If you know they take long showers, you can walk a mile easily. Otherwise, you really should run; it's rather embarrassing to return them before they are out of the shower.

;)

Answer 9

Yes and also understanding the person`s hidden problems and pain.

Answer 10

Similar to the saying "there but for the grace of god go I"
small world..