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| Harpo Marx and Lucille Ball |
Do you think it is possible to see the world through the eyes of someone else without developing a sense of empathy for how that person might feel about the world?
And do you think there is ever a danger in developing a deeper understanding or empathy for someone whose values are profoundly different from your own? Is there a danger that in the process of understanding someone else's viewpoint and even sharing their feelings, even if experimentally, you might become more like that person?
I believe what the phrase is trying to say is not meant to be taken too literal. Being able to view the way somebody else sees a situation can be very beneficial by helping you act accordingly to their motives. For example, if you are following a thief, it would be of benefit to figure out what types of things they may steal next so you can be a step ahead of their game. Additionally, let’s say we find out our thief has been stealing for a cause such as to support his family. We may then feel bad for the thief. However, I feel that in cases like this you must know that you are still doing your job. So, is there danger in developing emotions such as empathy? Personally, I would have to say potentially. Not every person is going to react the same to a given situation. Even throughout our read, Tom White showed many moments of empathy with his prisoners and witnesses which interestingly enough resulted in reciprocated attitudes of participation. Because he treated these people with respect, they gave him the information he wanted (though it took some time and lots of caution).
ReplyDelete- Chance Zernicek
I very much agree with Chance in this situation. Being able to know what another may be thinking or feeling is beneficial to solving criminal cases or to catching the criminal before they can commit a new crime. While being able to understand why they commit the crimes that they do we also obtain the ability to get their backstories and reasons for committing such crimes which may lead to empathy, however I do not think that would get in the way of any jobs that need to be accomplished.As chance said, When people are treated like people, they are more likely to give important details and information.
DeleteI also agree with both Bailey and Chance. Being able to see into a criminals mind helps the detective catch the criminal. This questions reminds me of the show Criminal Minds. They are a part of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and they think like murders to build their profile. This helps them find characteristics of the criminal, and maybe of the next victim. This does not make them want to become a murderer themselves.
DeleteI also agree with Chance, Bailey and Katie. Being able to think and understand an person and their actions can help explain why you does the things they do and it also might help explain when and where they are likely to do those things again (especially in the case of criminals). Feeling empathy for a criminal, like when Tom White felt empathy for the prisoners he watched over, is normal emotion to feel. We are all human no matter our actions and seeing another person in a cage like an animal is hard to see until you know what that person did to put themselves in the position they are in.
DeleteI think it depends on the situation if someone could develop empathy by looking through the eyes of another person. Like Chance mentions, if someone is committing a crime for their family then perhaps we could develop some empathy for the culprit. But, most of the times that really is not the case. Many times people commit crimes because they are driven by their own selfish needs and wants. Viewing the world through their eyes should not stir up any empathy, especially, say, somebody murders simply out of cold blood. I do not see how anyone could feel any empathy for such a person but it is completely understandable to feel empathy for somebody who is committing a petty crime for their family. I do believe there is a possible danger to feeling empathy towards somebody else. People can easily deceive other people; it happens everyday. For example, a person could make someone else sympathize for them and then go behind their back to betray them. However, it is all completely circumstantial and not one event plays out like another.
ReplyDeleteIt is most certainly possible to see a person's point of view without feeling empathy for them. For example, there was a man named Elliot Rodger who shot up Isla Vista, a community in Santa Barbara County, California. Elliot Rodger was a disturbed individual, and one of his last acts was publishing an online manifesto chronicling his life and descent into madness. A person may understand why Elliot Rodger performed his act of terror, but Elliot's motives were so morbid and irrational that any sane person could never empathize with him.
ReplyDeleteThere exists no danger in attempting to understand another person's values, however strange or morbid they may be, as long as you understand why you believe in your values, and hold firm to them. A person who is thoroughly informed and who understands the apologetics of their values needn't worry about the "danger" of their values changing, for if a person were to so thoroughly refute the position of one so well informed, then the one being refuted will have only become better informed and perhaps enlightened by engaging in such discourse.
I wouldn't call it a danger really. I mean there is always that possibility that opening your mind could in fact change it. But if you change your mind about something by talking and conversing about it then its probably for the best. If what you think to be true can be changed then you aren't too sure about it. You aren't confident in what you know is true. You dont have faith in it. Facts can only go so far but to truly believe in something you have to have faith. So no I wouldn't say it's a danger I would say it's a possibility but a good one. A possibility to learn and grow past what you previously believed. It's good to listen to others and get their perspective on things. I share almost none of the same viewpoints as any of my close friends and that's what makes talking to them all the more interesting.
ReplyDeleteI somewhat disagree with Charles. As humans, we have an innate sense of empathy within us, and we can’t really put ourselves in someone else’s viewpoint without sympathizing with their experiences and situation.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think there is ever any danger in understanding another person’s values. If anything, you could broaden your own understanding and grow as a person. It’s only natural that in learning about that individual, you become a little more like them, but as you encounter so many different people in your lifetime, it’s as if you take a little piece of each of them into your own understanding of the world. You can still hold firm to your own beliefs, but it’s inevitable that they will change as you become more informed. And I agree with James that I also most enjoy talking and becoming friends with people who have different viewpoints than I do.
I do not think that it is possible to view the world through the eyes of someone without developing empathy for the individual. There are so many reports about mothers and fathers stealing food for their children and it is difficult for us to picture that as a criminal offense when they are just trying to provide for their children, something that is rather important to society.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with developing compassion for other individuals, regardless of their beliefs. When we see the world through the eyes of an individual that was raised to believe that cops are the bad guys, or someone that believes that homosexuality is a sin, or even an individual that believes in the power of nature or God we begin to see their reasoning, it may not always be morally acceptable (which varies between individuals) but you are left with new insight of why people believe what they believe. I think that is what makes the human race so incredible.
I do not necessarily think that there is a danger in seeing the world through the eyes of another. You are viewing different experiences to get into the head of another. You are, pardon the redundant figurative, walking in another person’s shoes. Such as when you hold a gem up to the light. You are still seeing the same gem but from different angles, it does not mean that the gem is now invaluable at that angle, but it is an adaption to the turning and light source that is now being provided.
I would say it is almost certain that an individual an individual who puts themselves in someone else's shoes will empathize more with that person. At the least, they will likely develop a respect for why the person makes the decisions they do, whatever they may be. It tends to be more difficult to be critical of someone's decisions, however bad they may be, if it evident they have a strong and understandable motive for making them. That is not to say to it is guaranteed as different people have different levels of natural empathy.
ReplyDeleteIt is not dangerous for an individual to see life through someone else's eyes. Yes, it is possible you might become more like the person as part of the experiment. However, if you truly have grown an empathy towards that person, maybe it is not such a bad thing. There will also be plenty of times where putting yourself in someone else's shoes will change your viewpoint zero to little. Just because you understand someone's reasons does not always mean you will see that as an acceptable excuse for their actions.
I think it would be really hard to see from someone else's point of view and not develope some sense of empathy for them, no matter how small. This example has been used multiple times, but take the mother stealing food to feed her children. In the newspaper it reads as theft, but if you take the time to put yourself in the mother's shoes you would see that her kids would not get to eat that day without it. You would not want to punish the mother because you would feel like the act was justified.
ReplyDeleteIf you are firm in your beliefs and morals, there is no danger in trying to understand someone else's way of thinking. I feel like that is a lot of the problem with today. If everyone took the chance to understand each other, there may not be as much discord.