“Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.”
An elementary phrase that many of our fellow human beings seem to lose sight of as they grow more self-interested. What does it mean to truly have empathy for another person? It’s more complex than a single answer. There are three subdivisions of empathy: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral empathy. Cognitive empathy is fairly simple—it’s the ability to understand somebody else’s mental state. Emotional and behavioral empathy take it a step further, surrounding the ability to feel and resonate, whether physically or emotionally, with somebody else’s distress. Behavioral empathy specifically focuses on one’s ability to act on their connection with someone else, jumping into action to provide a solution or other form of aid.
Any one of these classifications demonstrates a deep emotional understanding of humanity, and a significant connection to our fellow inhabitants of this planet. As a divided society founded on finger-pointing continues to grow in the digital age, anonymous users behind screens feel increasingly comfortable with demonstrating cruelty towards others. Cyberbullying and a general lack of kindness online fosters a pessimistic worldview in youth. A sort of “every man for himself” mentality can develop when there’s no tangible connection between two individuals conversing online. The lack of access to a face-to-face conversation is leading us down a dark path. We treat each other like numbers, simple digits utilized to boost a like count. Not only is this mentality harmful to human connection, it also damages the concept of empathy itself. Empathy blossoms in times where we can feel one another’s pain, where we can’t hide our reaction behind a screen. When we see only snippets of one another’s lives, it becomes easier to categorize and to villanize certain people.
The sheer amount of hate online is astounding. One might argue that the hate would thrive even outside of a digital realm. I don’t, however, believe that to be the case. Anonymity provides the user with a twisted sense of power. It leads isolated people to ask the question “if I say something heinous, how will people react?” I believe wholeheartedly that, had many young people grown up meeting a wider variety of people rather than hide behind a screen, we wouldn’t see so much constant hate. I believe that everyone, to an extent, is capable of emotional empathy. The most diverse areas in the world tend to have less toxic beliefs (in terms of humanitarian efforts and general kindness). The availability of real-life in-person conversations with people from different backgrounds lays the foundation for a strong set of empathetic values.
Empathy relies on human connection. In an era where connection is immediate yet so fractured, those of us who do live our lives with empathy must try our hardest to shine light on the importance of treating others with basic kindness. To feel the feelings of another human being is one of the most beautiful things we can experience in this life, and that’s something we have to protect for future generations as a digital disconnect continues to grow.