Poll: Can Empathy Be Taught?

[Darkmaster2000]

My mom is a para in a local school, and she got really mad today because I guess everyone *teachers included* in there school today were told to teach there Elementary school kids Empathy. Her opinion is what may work for one person wont work for another so its pointless to teach one technique. The one they are teaching is "Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and say out loud your feelings.

My moms point is what happens when these kids are in High school and a bully comes up to them and calls them a "fag" or something along those lines, what do you think would happen if you close your eyes take a deep breath and say "You hurt my feelings when you call me that could you please not call me it again."

I happen to agree with my mom, I think teaching kinds empathy is in theory a good idea, but there is not way it can work, not for everyone.

 

[quack35]

I don't really know if it can be taught, I think it's just a part of human nature...

 

[Radeonx]

No.
Things like that can't be taught, unless you count the self teaching qualities that humans have.
And by that, I mean by simply doing that.

 

[PurpleRain]

I don't really know if it can be taught, I think it's just a part of human nature...

I feel the meaning behind it and how to better achieve it can be taught, but like this guy's saying, it's something we all have.

 

[black lincon]

empathy can only be learned.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

I don't really know if it can be taught, I think it's just a part of human nature...

Some humans nature. In my experience the level of empathy a person has is inversely proportional to how much narcissism they have. And a person who is extremely narcissistic usually unwilling to learn from "lesser" people.

 

[ae86gamer]

Maybe. Certain people are born naturally empathetic, while others, like me, have to learn to become it. Even if it is just so people leave you alone.

 

[quack35]

I don't really know if it can be taught, I think it's just a part of human nature...

Some humans nature. In my experience the level of empathy a person has is inversely proportional to how much narcissism they have. And a person who is extremely narcissistic usually unwilling to learn from "lesser" people.

You have a point.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I don't really know if it can be taught, I think it's just a part of human nature...

Some humans nature. In my experience the level of empathy a person has is inversely proportional to how much narcissism they have. And a person who is extremely narcissistic usually unwilling to learn from "lesser" people.

I must beg to differ sir. I know for a fact that I possess incredible narcissism, or at least enough arrogance to kill most land-dwelling mammals at thirty paces, and yet I also know I am an extremely empathic person. While I'd suspect that I am a rare case, I would say that empathy and narcissism are not directly related. Indirectly, possible, but it is not a direct relationship.

 

[Distorted Stu]

Its human nature and free will. Everyone likes ot be honest and there is nothing better than a friendly environment. Someoen will always want to be top dog by being a bully.

 

[Inverse Skies]

My ethics class would like to believe that empathy can be taught... and it can to a slight degree. However, empathy is more a product of your personality which is a combination of genetics and your experiences as a child, so empathy, like many core emotions, can be taught to a slight degree which can be of some benefit, but not truly learned and mastered like a skill without having some prior disposition to it.

 

[Valate_v1legacy]

No, in fact, if people don't have it they never will... Due to *ahem*... nevermind.

 

[Skeleon]

I agree that it can be taught, but I also agree with your mom in that it's different for everybody.
However, while a certain sense of empathy is ingrained in our genes, we learn most of our social behaviour by watching our parents and other peers.
Most of this character-forming is accomplished during our childhood, but our characters - obviously - still change during our later life.
So it's a commendable effort but I don't think a generalized attempt to change a whole school full of people will have much success. We are simply too different.

 

[BlackJack47]

It cannot, only thoses with a sense of decency and caring can empathise.