Theological Journal – November 19 What Happened to Empathy?​: Geoff Holsclaw

 


​
What happened to Brené Brown?
What happened to Empathy? Vulnerability?

Remember how 10 years ago (or less) everyone was reading and raving about Brené Brown.

We were all learning about the courage of vulnerability, and the power of empathy, and the gift of imperfection.

​Where is all that now?

​“The politics of Trump happened.” Yes, but that is too simplistic.

​We now live at the END OF EMPATHY, when EMPATHY is a FALLACY.

Empathy is only for those who already like us (the insiders), not to understand those who are different (the oppressive outsiders).

The accelerants of social media and news outlets have pushed us further apart just as we were supposed to be learning the skills of leaning in.

​That “empathy” was more of a fad and less of the fabric of our lives speaks to the fact that — as a society — we are more than willing to nurture our own fears rather than help others overcome theirs, we are happy to have our own way rather than help others flourish on theirs, that we care for our own comfort more than actually caring for others.

​This is part of the divide in our country, in our churches.
Those who have given up on empathy. And those who haven’t.

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