The spiteful mean man with his fingers tweeting out vicious vindictive comments to make himself feel bigger and better.

The rush to vilify those of “the other side” regardless of circumstances while excusing the in-excusable.

Those wearing the badge of empath while cruelly hurting people who supported and loved them.

Empathy, we miss you.  We have become numb and desensitized.

I once knew someone who admitted that he had an empathetic disorder which was interesting to me since his profession required helping others in dire circumstances.  He did his job very well, but only because he was aware of the empty place empathy should have been in himself and he worked hard to fill it with concern and care.

A few years ago I had some new recruits going through training and three of the guys came out of the classroom and bemoaned the fact that they had just watched a 17 slide power point (death by power point to be sure) about empathy for 45 minutes.  They joked that it was so bad it made them want to chew the cord off the laptop to end the misery.

Now too often we see a “tough shit” and “it sucks to be you” attitude when we need to be aware of the hole in our collective personality and heal it before it’s irreversible. Empathy is an essential part of civility. Let’s not loose it.

I’m not sure you can teach empathy; certainly the power point wasn’t the way, but my guys are three of the most empathic people I have ever known.  Maybe it’s all in keeping the right company after all.