Poll: Do you feel empathy for people you do not know?

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

A little, I don't pay too much attention it because if I empathized with every since person that's had a misfortune come to them I'd be a nervous wreck.

I apologize if that sounds a bit harsh, but bad things happen all the time and it's unfortunate that it has to be that way, and I'm sorry that they have to go through that.

Some empathy, but no further than that.

 

[Sindre1]

Yes I do.

Those who don't have a sligth psycological condition that I can't for the life of me remember the name of.
Oh well.

 

[JoJo]

I'm a very emphatic person, so I care about most other people, although their age and gender affects how much I care about them, example if I heard that an old man had been murdered, then I'd be like "that's a shame, hope the perp gets caught" whereas if a little girl had been murdered, I'd be more like "WTF, THIS GUY IS A MONSTER, KILL HIM WITH FIREZ!!!"

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

In general, the answer is no.

 

[Sneeze]

Sometimes, I dunno if there's really a pattern. Sometimes I'll feel great deals of sympathy towards a stranger, sometimes I won't give a shit, maybe it depends on how stupid they were being at the time.

 

[Teroch]

Please add another option that says:
Yes, though I can understand if people don't.

Thats bascially my opinion. Of course, if people I know are affected I myself am affected more and can't push it away so easily, but nevertheless I still feel empathy with people I don't know. Not with the ones who die, just with their friends and families.

 

[moretimethansense]

I chose other, mostly I feel nothing.
The exception being if it offends my personal sense of justice, or I've experianced similar events myself, either way I'd need details.

 

[drisky]

if im standing next to them while it happens - yes.
if i read it on the news on the internet, on tv, paper, whatever - no.
That's kind of how it is with me.

That makes sense, people die around the world all the time and if we let every news story about death get to us it would destroy us. That doesn't mean we can't care for strangers but people die around the world every day and life has to move on.

 

[Uri]

yes, less, but yes.

ps. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/checkfortraps/8386-Check-for-Traps-All-About-Alignment came to mind

 

[Rough Sausage]

Every now and then I feel morally opposed to killing videogame characters, but it quickly passes. Other than that, I don't feel anything, really, to do with people I don't know.

 

[Ohhi]

No I do not feel any empathy towards the young boy but it's not just him I feel no empathy towards any human being I just can't bring myself to feel any emotions towards another human being wether it be a complete stranger or my family.

Is something wrong with me.

 

[Gigano]

Not nearly to the extent I once used to, my chosen line of profession requires adoption a professional distance to the unfortunate situations of others, and such will eventually affect your general world view. Though I suppose there's some empathy to helping out people with their troubles for free, even if it isn't exactly the fuzzy wuzzy kind.

Also, many who suffers are themselves people who inflict suffering upon others. Why would I particularly care about a famine amongst villagers that executes people for being gay? "Karmic justice" might just as well come to mind.

 

[neoontime]

Yes, I often feel really empathetic for when sad things happen to people I don't know. My emphasis on the principles of fairness sometimes make me feel if such thing happened to me.

 

[ShadowsofHope]

Yes, I am a very empathetic individual. Though I do know that there is a limit towards what I can do about the suffering of others, as well (I won't get upset at every news article or media story I hear, though I will do by best to help ensure the well-being of those around me). Which is why I separate my empathetic personality from sympathy. Two very different reactions.

No I do not feel any empathy towards the young boy but it's not just him I feel no empathy towards any human being I just can't bring myself to feel any emotions towards another human being wether it be a complete stranger or my family.

Is something wrong with me.

I honestly can't tell if your saying this just to be edgy, or..?

Because yes, you would be sociopathic. That is not a good thing.

 

[Biosophilogical]

Now, my question: Do you actually feel empathy for someone you will (most assuredly) never meet?

Yes. I am a very empathetic being, almost to a fault. :/

I'm similar. The only reason that article didn't affect me was because I'd already gathered the the boy and the officer survived. If either had been injured, or if the article was ambiguous as to the outcome, I would've been scared for both of them.

However, I'm lucky enough to be able to partially separate myself from my empathy (I still feel it, I can just let it not affect me on the same conscious level as it normally would), which is always helpful in times of natural disaster or when worrying myself sick won't help anything.

 

[Tharwen]

If I think about it. I have to mentally try to bring them closer to me to care about them though.

Faceless, nameless strangers just don't feel like real people to me.

/totallynotautistic

 

[SsilverR]

depends on the situation

somedays i can feel really sorry or bad for people depending on the situation, other days i'm just cold inside

 

[Trivun]

Not really, though I am still disappointed to hear when someone dies. It's never a nice thing, after all. Today, for example, my Nan posted on my Facebook wall that she'd sent me a letter, then heard today that my Great-Aunt Doris had unexpectedly died. Now, I don't know a great-aunt Doris, though I admit I may have met her years ago when I was little, I certainly don't remember it, and haven't met her in the years that I remember. My Nan's side of the family is very large, so I have a fuckload of relatives I've never met, and never will meet. I do find it sad that someone has died, especially a relative of mine, but as I've not seen her in years and years, and potentially not met her, I don't feel any sort of sadness or pain beyond thinking "oh, that's a shame, if only she hadn't died and was still alive and healthy". Does that make me a cruel, heartless person? I don't think so. It is sad that she's dead, just as any death is sad. But I can't be expected to feel really bad about it if I didn't know her, right?