Do you find more people lack sympathy and empathy these days?

[Yellow Jacket]

I'm one of those people, OP.

[ROAM]

In this day in age. most people are more effed up in the game (in various ways) than ever. This would lead people to be more cynical. For others ,It may look as if they're being self centered or aloof, but the fact is that they're just more focused on getting their pieces straight on the board in this game we call life.

As for people taking delight in other's misfortune. I think deep down when people aren't doing well, they like to see others struggle in certain ways.. gives a sort of comfort, knowing that others have equal or even worse issues.

[shadowwalker]

Oh absolutely! With the onslaught of television violence, video games, and the non enforcement of rules on children for decades this is the result of our society.

[Thursday007]

It its purest form I would say people are less empathetic and sympathetic because so much of technology teaches people to do singular projects instead of with others. This deteriorates the backbone of a sympathetic culture.

But everyone is an individual and has differing opinions on the matter. Here's a drastic one. My brother and sister in law lost their son just shy of his 21st birthday. They lived in Florida but buried him here. My SIL did not just lose her son she lost her best friend. She knew no one there to help her through this. Now all this time I thought her cousin, whom she was always close to) was helping her through this. Come to find out she blatantly told my SIL she was solely and totally responsible for her son's death. I was appalled and stepped up to the plate. I had a million issues of my own at the time, but nothing, absolutely nothing competed with her grief. I was scared for her and I made her promise me to pick up the phone when I called and I'd call every Wednesday and if she needed more than that she could call me. She cried so hard you couldn't hear a gosh darn thing she said, I just let her cry and keep going. I spent every single day for a year on the phone with her long distance. I don't have children myself, but we were very, very close, and my loss was strong.

I would get off the phone with her and these were 1 hour conversations and I would sit at the edge of the bed and just cry and cry I could empathize and sympathize with her pain. However much I hurt - she had to hurt 1000 times worse. I asked for nothing in return.

I wrote them both mother's day and father's day letters as to what good parents they were and are. Before father's day I took sunflowers to my nephew's grave site and left a letter attached to it for my brother.

They moved back her and she had her mom and sisters to be with now. I just looked at it as I was blessed with sympathy for other people no matter their pain or the result. Some people are just born nurturers.

[mikeyking]

Originally Posted by R. Crusoe

Generally speaking, do you find more people lack sympathy and empathy these days or even worst that some would find misfortune of others amusing?

I think many people just can't see beyond their own immediate experiences, thoughts, mindset, they live in their own little world - they can't put themselves in other people shoes and imagine different circumstances, situations or tough situations other people have been in, they can only show empathy or sympathy for things which have directly effect them in the past - and if that does not affect them or they have no experience then they can often have blame the victim mindset, or think well person has been stupid for doing this etc or they should have done this.