Why are some people incapable of compassion?

Answer 1

Consider autism. Or Asperger's Syndrome. Some people, for whatever reasons, seem to lack many social instincts which we take for granted. They do not have an inherent awareness of other people's emotional attitudes. To them, the moods of others are almost completely alien (one such person described their life as being like that of an 'anthropologist on Mars'). For these people, it is not simply a matter of learning... something key is missing that we seem unable to replace.

Now, those may seem like extreme, atypical examples. But is it so strange to consider them to be at or near one end of a spectrum of ability? At the other end we can probably all think of people with an ability to sense and understand emotion that is immense to even a normal person. They may know what you are feeling better than you do. And again, though training may get you closer to their level, most people have no realistic hope of replicating their abilities.

So it may very well be that we are each given a certain amount of talent in such an arena that we can use or misuse only within certain parameters. We have some freedom to choose, compassionwise, but not an unlimited amount. An inequity will always remain.

Answer 2

I think some people may be incapable of compassion is because they're afraid of it. The person might be afraid of society, socializing, and giving. A person that is incapable of compassion need to understand that people need people and they need to give. They need it, so they have to stop being afraid of it.

Answer 3

They haven't been taught better. If they have been taught then obviously they haven't learned now have they?
Men and women of no compassion are not incapable of compassion, they just won't allow it in themselves.
They themselves are makers of themselves.

Answer 4

It's called" hard-heartedness" or cold hearted...it's a frame of mind that comes over a period of time from past things (usually bad ones) happening to them, and anger,revenge,hatred, are the "big three" that mess a person up. They still "have" compassion, but it's buried deep within them and they won't allow it to surface..."Peace!"