Forever trying to explain to my MAGA uncle that one twist of fate—like a car accident or a rare illness—could strip away the privileges he takes for granted and derail the success he thinks is entirely self-made. Trying to teach empathy is so damn difficult. - ThreadSky

nomadmatt.bsky.social • 84 days ago

Forever trying to explain to my MAGA uncle that one twist of fate—like a car accident or a rare illness—could strip away the privileges he takes for granted and derail the success he thinks is entirely self-made. Trying to teach empathy is so damn difficult.

Comments

angieo54.bsky.social•84 days ago

Forget it, he'll have to figure it out on his own people don't listen, he has to suffer and that's not something you can do.

jbutler108.bsky.social•84 days ago

Another face eaten by the leopard.

angel415.bsky.social•83 days ago

I quit

lavenderreader.bsky.social•84 days ago

It goes back to the “special” factor. If they don’t believe they are inherently “special,” all their arguments fall apart. Believing you’re “special” is an excuse to not have to deal with empathy. 😭

pammyjill13.bsky.social•81 days ago

I live in an RV on 1/3 acre. Love my life!

annedf.bsky.social•80 days ago

I hate to say this because it sounds like a trope but, it isn't. It's a cult. Trying to reason with them is like talking to someone sunk in with the Moonies.

plickjunel.bsky.social•80 days ago

I believe the pandemic demonstrated succinctly that our society is split between those with empathy, and narcissists.

punagreen.bsky.social•84 days ago

This was me yesterday with my sister. It ended with me saying you voted for hate, and I voted for you.

empathyshield.bsky.social•84 days ago

I’m afraid he won’t care until it actually happens to him. None of them will care until it affects them personally, and that’s the sad part. No matter how much we warn them, it’ll do no good. 😞

stilldabeast73.bsky.social•84 days ago

reminds me of the gop state rep from ohio that learned how the abortion ban messed up his niece life as she had to carry a nonviabale..he had his eyes opened in a big way

empathyshield.bsky.social•84 days ago

Interesting. Still, he should’ve known better.

I’m very sorry for his niece though. 😢🙏

stilldabeast73.bsky.social•84 days ago

agreed. 100%

sooze555.bsky.social•82 days ago

You can't teach empathy.

terryburns.bsky.social•84 days ago

It’s an uphill slog. So glad you keep trying. Take care of yourself.

karmalsky68.bsky.social•83 days ago

If not impossible. Especially when the person is hindered by cognitive dissonance.

tbender.bsky.social•81 days ago

Keep trying to speak to MAGA. Somewhere along the way right & wrong became blurred, most likely bcuz our leaders excuse horrible behavior trying to convince us it’s okay when really there is no grey area with illegality, compassion, & empathy. Ppl have forgotten their own compass to morality.

szarotka.bsky.social•79 days ago

I don't know if teaching empathy is possible

valennb4.bsky.social•84 days ago

Something’s can’t be taught. I tried for years to explain the concept of a metaphor to my father. Did not work.

all4act2.bsky.social•83 days ago

I got into an argument over tariffs with my dad who voted for Trump.

He has a masters degree and still doesn’t understand economics.

But he is an expert because he watches Fox News. 🙄

He used to have empathy but watching the soul sucking FoxNews has warped him.

islandginger.bsky.social•84 days ago

That's cus empathy can not be taught. You either have it or you don't.

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

No feeling can be taught because they are an intrinsic experience. But the practices of getting in touch with one’s feelings, processing and understanding them can certainly be taught and from there one can practice either empathy or compassion

islandginger.bsky.social•83 days ago

So you agree with me in your first sentence and then spend the rest of it trying to undo that. you cannot teach somebody empathy towards people or others. You cannot force somebody to feel something that they don't feel.

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

Yes, my point was that it’s obvious that you can’t teach feelings. But you can teach the process to accessing one’s own feelings which can, in turn, lead to feeling empathy, or at least compassion. Many people don’t have access to feeling their own feelings. The process is teachable

islandginger.bsky.social•83 days ago

No you can teach a sociopath or a narcissist how to fake empathy but can't teach how to feel empathy. So once again you cannot teach empathy. have a day

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

I agree with that but you certainly can’t be calling half of Americans sociopaths??

dahchange321.bsky.social•84 days ago

There is that moment when you realize your forehead just got flattened banging your head on the wall and time to say
Ok you're on your own
Think!

eliminatefascist.bsky.social•84 days ago

Why is anyone still wasting time on magats? Hasn’t the last almost 10 years shown they refuse to believe anything except what the cheese curd tells them? Stop wasting your energy with them.

queeney63.bsky.social•83 days ago

It's fun to troll nazis

jjraimondo.bsky.social•84 days ago

Bad Grandpa 😂

smudgiesmom.bsky.social•84 days ago

I’m not sure teaching empathy is even possible.

empathyshield.bsky.social•84 days ago

As a guy with “Empathy” in my name, I unfortunately agree. It’s more of a natural instinct on a spectrum, but even so, there are those who are completely incapable of empathy (sociopaths).

smudgiesmom.bsky.social•84 days ago

Agree. And I have made some strides with hubby. He used to ignore or be rude to unhoused people asking for money, now he specifically carries cash to give to people. (As I do). Only took 25 years. 🙄

empathyshield.bsky.social•84 days ago

Perhaps on the lower end of the spectrum, but at least your hubby had a chance no matter how minuscule. I’m sorry it took so long for you to get it through his head and heart. 😢🙏

smudgiesmom.bsky.social•84 days ago

Yes I’d describe him as narcissistic but certainly not pathologically so. And the fact that he has made progress is encouraging.

empathyshield.bsky.social•84 days ago

It takes time to unlearn such terrible behavior, but again, I’m glad he’s made progress, and I’m sorry it took so long. You’re certainly strong to have endured it all. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

billmakesbeer.bsky.social•84 days ago

This. I don't know if empathy comes from nature or nurture, but man o man, it seems like you either have it as an adult or you don't. I know there are anecdotal examples of say former Klan people waking up, so maybe it's a 50/50 proposition. Some can learn, some can't?

savannahpeace.bsky.social•83 days ago

Remember Melania’s coat?

savannahpeace.bsky.social•83 days ago

I have found you can’t make people care if they really don’t.

spidero.bsky.social•84 days ago

Caring about other peoples suffering is not something that comes easy to everyone.

dickritchie.bsky.social•84 days ago

Sociopaths don't feel empathy and I'll die on the hill that all MAGAts are sociopaths.

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

That’s absurd. Of course they aren’t all sociopaths. Trump yes but many of his followers have fallen prey to having their emotions manipulated.

dickritchie.bsky.social•83 days ago

A well-adjusted member of society doesn't get their "emotions manipulated." They're sociopaths who are now emboldened to come out from under their rocks.

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

Not sure what your definition of “well-adjusted” means but humans have their emotions manipulated literally every day…by parents, partners, children, etc. Advertising wouldn’t be a thing if people weren’t prone to being manipulated 🤷🏻‍♀️
Sociopath is a clinical term and shouldn’t be used casually

dickritchie.bsky.social•83 days ago

Sociopath: A sociopath is someone with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), a mental health condition that involves a consistent disregard for the rights and feelings of others.

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

Again, of course all his followers have not been diagnosed with ASPD. Your anger is clouding your reason

morpheus-huxley.bsky.social•84 days ago

Let us all contemplate the concept of Sonder

iquanyin3.bsky.social•82 days ago

yeah. i’m surprised how many people don’t see this.

wanderdoff.bsky.social•81 days ago

Right? And why do we have to? Can’t they dredge up even a modicum themselves?

davidkister.bsky.social•84 days ago

It’s strange.

tfox68.bsky.social•80 days ago

Apparently Musk and Vivek are planning to cut the VA. Judging by how many veterans I know that voted for Trump, there are going to be some seriously confused vets trying to figure out what to do for healthcare.

annedf.bsky.social•80 days ago

Not just that but, Musk has extensive ties to systems in China and can and will compromise NASA. The Chinese press has already said that because of those connections Elon is Xi's "back door to Trump." This is traitor stuff.

cjsbo.bsky.social•83 days ago

Unfortunately I don’t think “empathy” can be taught to an adult. Just my opinion though. I believe it’s important for children to learn empathy through their parents teaching and exhibiting empathy. MAGA people are proud to say they have no empathy.

sendmusk2mars.bsky.social•83 days ago

Keep up the good work in that fight to show him another way to think about the world, it’s not an easy task. However, the fact remains that those people with whom we don’t agree aren’t going anywhere and they just won the last election. Some kind of bridge has to be made, and youre doing it 💯🇺🇸⭐️ 👍

solitaire360.bsky.social•81 days ago

It sure is. You either have it or you find it seems

chantingcrow.bsky.social•81 days ago

Unfortunately I believe empathy is an innate trait and can't really be taught. The best you can hope is to teach them sympathy. Or just outright practicality. No one pulls themselves up by their own bootstraps, it's a paradox.

murphee4.bsky.social•84 days ago

You cannot teach empathy - it's soul-deep. Nice try, though.

demops.bsky.social•80 days ago

I find some people don't understand that x can happen to them, they tend to be low empathy too. With them, im trying out finding different things to persuade them. They're immortal and they don't care what happens to others so maybe, success is in convincing them the other option is more profitable

demops.bsky.social•80 days ago

That's how I got us to switch from this palm oil version of something to a more sustainable option. Palm cost 5k less but they were unreliable so i told the money guy that they almost cost us 3 months savings one time by being late one day.

jeanie31199.bsky.social•83 days ago

Can’t teach caring for others.

riverroadband.bsky.social•84 days ago

Convince a brick first, then try your uncle.

empathyshield.bsky.social•84 days ago

The brick will listen, never disagree, never make excuses, and won’t resort to violence

antiss.bsky.social•84 days ago

Excellent descriptor...

marymlane.bsky.social•80 days ago

Psychodrama has been shown to teach empathy very well! Its role reversal and the related practice of Sociodrama are powerful.

melodykayyoung.bsky.social•84 days ago

You can’t. He won’t learn. He has to face hard consequences.

abqgnu.bsky.social•84 days ago

That's like trying to teach a fish to write on the blackboard don't you think?

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

Of course you can’t teach empathy…just as you can’t teach happiness, or sadness, or any other feeling. Yet, you can teach the practices that will help someone go within and have an experience of their own feelings and from there you can bridge the gap between that and empathizing.

pro1stamend.bsky.social•81 days ago

Maybe listening to your uncle who has been around a while to find common ground might be a better way.. since its my guess is he has empathy but your Trump Derangement syndrome is getting in the way there battle.

eleonorakuijpers.bsky.social•82 days ago

Sadly, sometimes it takes an unforeseen twist of fate for folks to ‘get it’.

Makes me think of this …

hughie951.bsky.social•81 days ago

You can’t teach it. People will only get it through harsh life lessons they won’t recover from OR they were born w/o it & are sociopaths/ perhaps also psychopaths. If they do learn it, best we can do is be there 2help them put things back together again, hopefully in a more vital form.

shamusbrown1.bsky.social•82 days ago

IMHO it can’t be taught.

A catastrophe might humble him but he’d still lack genuine empathy.

adult3rdculturekid.bsky.social•81 days ago

Ugh..I feel with you on the difficulty of trying to teach empathy.

jojomineo69.bsky.social•81 days ago

AMEN!! Everyone should count their blessings more often no matter WHO you are. And thank you for your service and the follow.

ghowell73.bsky.social•81 days ago

Not sure it CAN be taught. Teach your children well.

maddie00.bsky.social•82 days ago

Fostering empathy has to happen in grades K-3 when kids form their foundations, along with their parents guidance.

nothingbutbluesky.bsky.social•82 days ago

Exactly, it's too late for them.

squirrelhandler46.bsky.social•82 days ago

So very true. Learned this when I was 3, my mom and sister were killed by a drunk drive. I was in the car but survived. That day changed my life forever and not in a good way. So many more tragic events have happened just when I thought life was stable. It taught me empathy and compassion.

sigistrix.bsky.social•81 days ago

My attitude, since day one, has been one of, "my grandfather and his brothers fought a war over this bullshit. I'm not putting up with it." I actively hunt these fuckers down and report and block.

fiatslug85.bsky.social•84 days ago

You can't teach empathy to someone who can't feel it. That someone must learn it for themselves...or not at all.

andrewrei15.bsky.social•84 days ago

In my opinion, empathy can't be taught, especially to the MAGAt faction of the Authoritarianism-brainwashed GOP voter group. Either someone has empathy or they don't.

kellymerlot.bsky.social•84 days ago

It can be learned. I have seen adults who developed empathy over time once they were in a different environment and surrounded with kind, ethical people instead of narcissistic personalities. It does take time to reframe one's view.

andrewrei15.bsky.social•84 days ago

I'll take your word for it. My experience doesn't back it up, but that's just me.

kellymerlot.bsky.social•84 days ago

I am not saying it is the norm, perhaps, but there are people who mature and get it over time. The right social circle is a key factor.

brobof.bsky.social•81 days ago

The American dream can so quickly turn into a nightmare...

mpakaartsy.bsky.social•82 days ago

Exhausting
Like a willful blindness

dianemckenna.bsky.social•84 days ago

You can't teach empathy. It's either within you or it's not.

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

Perhaps not, but compassion may be easier. Empathy means one is feeling what the other is feeling. Compassion only requires one recognize suffering and wants to help

bertfoxson.bsky.social•84 days ago

You can’t teach empathy. You are either born with it or you’re not.

kathyc48.bsky.social•82 days ago

That’s not teaching empathy; that’s pointing out self interest. You have a long way to go before you get to empathy.

qatarkat.bsky.social•84 days ago

I think it would be hard (or impossible?) to teach empathy to a Narcissistic person. Since they are so self centered, that might negate the ability to be empathetic.

qatarkat.bsky.social•84 days ago

Not that your Uncle is Narcissistic, but I know many Narcissists & I believe all of them put themselves first ALWAYS!

p0lka.bsky.social•84 days ago

You are so right. I have been lucky to always have a safety net if I wanted it. Knowing it is there makes it easier even if you don't take advantage of it. Many, many people have no safety net. Some people find kindness among strangers. Some find users and abusers and no help. ASK! THERE IS HELP.

homicidalkgs.bsky.social•84 days ago

Don't even try, man. They're beyond help.

mrnot4theweak.bsky.social•84 days ago

Is it even possible?
I think many are so badly informed on issues, but if you didn't grow up learning that from the people around you and from your heart ..

corvusirae.bsky.social•82 days ago

You can't teach anyone who doesn't want to learn.

skininthegame.bsky.social•83 days ago

There but for the grace of God, go I

resonancerising.bsky.social•81 days ago

We all know that the only way people in MAGA will snap out of it is when they are personally affected and harmed by 47.

carmeljay.bsky.social•79 days ago

It’s coming…

belami06337376.bsky.social•80 days ago

👍You either have empathy or not. Watch a group of kids in a play ground. I used to call it the human jungle. It's the kids who help the little ones, share their bag of sweets, stand up for another kid being bullied their the ones that are going to make emotionally evolved adults. World needs more 💞

socalbookish.bsky.social•84 days ago

Yes, and getting them to understand their privilege too

theanimalsknow.bsky.social•80 days ago

SO many people who it only matters to them, if it HAPPENS to them.

spritepurplefairy.bsky.social•84 days ago

Can't be taught..has to be in the soul... my thoughts... I keep saying..LACK OF EMPATHY IS THE DOWNFALL OF HUMANITY.. that raised if someone will destroy you for no reason other than their psychopathic desire for their own gain.. then we have to fight back.. Psycopathy is the enemy within...

freeresa.bsky.social•83 days ago

Compassion and empathy are not exactly the same. Empathy may not be a trait in all personality egos but compassion is more accessible to all

thegodofcities.bsky.social•83 days ago

sciencenerd68.bsky.social•81 days ago

I'm sure trying to explain to him that his butthurt is entirely self inflicted is even more difficult.

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