Do we need empathy and compassion in life? “Do people need empathy and compassion?”

Many people wonder whether our modern society needs such feelings as empathy and compassion. Moreover, more and more often we meet people who are completely convinced that such feelings, on the contrary, are a disease of our society.

Difference between empathy and compassion

To begin with, it is worth noting that these two concepts have different meanings. They both relate to the problems of a person close or not quite to us, but with one huge difference. So, empathy means listening to a person about his problem and worrying about it with him. That is, sympathy has a clear implication of feeling pity for the narrator, imbued with his problems.

If we talk about compassion, then this is the feeling when, having heard about the troubles that your interlocutor has encountered, you think about a plan to help. That is, not just to feel sorry for the person and support him in how difficult and painful it is for him, but to try to give advice or, if necessary, help him with deeds. Compassion is a more complex feeling that consists of several stages:

• Identifying another person's problem;
• Supporting a person with words and advice;
• Selection of possible solutions to the problem;
• Offer of help;

After explaining the difference between these concepts, it seems that compassion is not a shortcoming of society at all, but a very useful feeling that everyone should develop. But it's not that simple.

What does our society need more?

It seems to me that our society needs both feelings. The very fact that a person can sympathize shows that there are still caring people in our world. Without empathy there can be no compassion, and this is so necessary for us now, when the majority are turning into cold-blooded people in search of money. It is very important to try to empathize with other people's problems and become a support for them when necessary. After all, anyone can find themselves in a bad situation and it’s very scary when there is no one to help you. This is what humanity is all about.

As a result, I can say that both feelings are important to our society, but the manifestation of compassion is more effective in difficult situations. Because this is a direct call to action and solution to the problems that have arisen.

Without empathy and compassion, the world would be a completely different place, people would be evil and heartless. If you delve into the meaning of these words, it becomes clear that they mean the joint experience of some feelings and compassion. That is, it turns out that the word “sympathy” comes from the word “feeling”, and compassion from the word suffering. So to sympathize and have compassion means to experience their sorrows, troubles and suffering together with others. And not just empathize, but also help if possible. Do we need empathy and compassion in modern life? If we look at the literature of the 20th century, it becomes clear that yes, they are needed.

As an example of the manifestation of sympathy and compassion, one can recall Lydia Mikhailovna, the heroine of V. Rasputin’s story “French Lessons”. Lydia Mikhailovna taught the main character of the work lessons that became lessons of kindness for him. She not only helped the boy master the difficult pronunciation of a foreign language. Having learned about the difficult situation of her student, that he actually had to starve, Lidia Mikhailovna did everything possible to somehow alleviate his situation. Even breaking the law did not become an obstacle for her; she started playing for money so that the main character of the story had money for milk.

In F. Abramov’s work “What Horses Cry About,” we see a story about the difficult fate of horses, who once lived very well and were the basis of a rural family. The horses were groomed, they received the last piece. But over time, attitudes towards horses have changed dramatically. Untidy, half-starved, they call out to a person, not understanding why their lives have changed so much.

If you stop empathizing and having compassion for others, the world will become cruel and soulless. Empathy and compassion are essential human qualities. They make a person better.

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The feeling of compassion, empathy or empathy is an internal state. It's because of other people's problems. Of course, empathy is one of the best human qualities. If you are able to have compassion for others, it means you understand other people's feelings. This helps build strong relationships. It is important for every person to realize that they are supported.

What is compassion and empathy

But it is important to understand what constitutes compassion and empathy. These feelings make a person better. Often these concepts are used in the form of synonymous words; it is believed that these are the same emotions.

If you delve into these words, sympathy is the shared experience of certain emotions, and compassion is shared suffering due to something. Both terms mean that a person goes through joy and sorrow and misfortune with another person. Both feelings are caused by a situation where pity and support are required. But these are things that need to be demonstrated if they are truly needed.

Compassion and empathy are similar emotions, but the main difference lies in their expression.

You can often hear that in the modern world only believers or poor people are capable of compassion and sympathy, and rich people do not think about anyone if it does not contribute to their well-being. It is believed that today, for every truly sympathetic person, there are 1000 who envy others. The reason for this opinion is the character of the individual himself. Indifferent people cannot experience such feelings.

In everyday life, we show such emotions taking into account specific situations. For example, one will give to the person asking, and the other will pass by. People show the greatest compassion towards their elderly parents, sick children, and friends.

Often, when showing compassion, we can offend a person who does not need pity. Moreover, true compassion causes harm. If a doctor sympathizes with a patient and worries too much, he himself becomes ill. Therefore, he only needs to sympathize, but not sympathize.

Showing empathy means listening to your interlocutor and understanding his emotions. To do this, you will have to pass them through yourself. Sincerely sympathetic people get upset and worry in exactly the same way as the one who needs this sympathy. This instills faith in a person and helps him forget his worries. Empathy makes people kind.

Why does a person need compassion?

But why do we need compassion and empathy? If you are an emotional person, and this feeling manifests itself excessively, then you have noticed that it is difficult for you to feel the suffering of others. Someone else's negative energy wraps around you, you stop feeling the joy of life. Compassion has a depressing effect and takes away strength.

You should not become overly immersed in the suffering of other people. It is important to be able to stop and not harm yourself with other people’s misfortunes.

In addition, if you constantly sympathize with one person, it harms both him and you. Constant compassion causes you to inadvertently prevent the suffering person from taking responsibility for his own actions. Due to constant sympathy, the person feels his weakness and the need for outside help. Such people are not able to live their own independent lives; they always need outside support.

Therefore, it is important not only to be able to empathize, but also to feel the boundary when you need to protect yourself from other people’s emotions. Measurement is needed in everything.

How to sympathize with someone

In order not to harm yourself, you need to know how to sympathize with a person:

• you need to understand who causes such a feeling – your loved ones or everyone around you? From whom does it come? When you feel that you are taking other people's experiences too closely,... Don't get caught up in other people's problems. Support the person, convince him that he is not alone. But he needs to find a solution to the situation himself;
• and return to the original state when you realize that you are plunging into other people's problems. Stop the conversation until you feel that you can understand the situation normally. Remember that all your feelings affect the body. For this reason, for the normal state of body and soul, it is important to experience to the maximum;

• be able to move from unconscious sympathy to conscious action in a timely manner. Whenever you try to get rid of compassion for others, you will feel guilty. But you should not consider yourself a person devoid of compassion. To support, you don’t have to let negative energy pass through you. Listen, but don't worry too much. Learn to protect yourself from negativity and excessive sympathy.

Of course, it is important to remain a kind person. We all have a responsibility to help our friends and loved ones. But it is possible to do this without harming yourself. It is important to maintain the balance of your own body in order to feel personal happiness.

Cultivating empathy and compassion in children

It is worth noting that from early childhood, serious attention must be paid to instilling compassion and empathy in children. A child who is not able to show such emotions grows up, and sometimes becomes a true disaster for his parents and himself.

Only those children whose parents set a similar example by their behavior have the ability to compassion and sympathize with others. In order for a child to care and empathize with others when they have problems, it is necessary to protect him from punishment from an early age.

You can cultivate such qualities in children only by your own example. It is important for parents to show their child how to behave.

If mom and dad show mutual politeness, are also polite to other people, and show care, then the baby will get used to behaving similarly. Researchers have found that men are more capable of experiencing empathy and compassion in families. But we are accustomed to thinking that they are stronger, and therefore show less feelings. When a woman feels bad, a man helps, not just by sympathizing, but by showing compassion and care. He is ready to help his beloved around the clock.

As for women, they are able to experience sympathy for a short period of time. This is because when a man is unwell, a woman, seeing his emotions, first feels compassion. But then, noticing how he is trying to seem strong, the woman’s compassion disappears.

Even if men express complaints about life, they are not ready for the compassion of others. When showing sympathy for men, there is a chance to touch their pride, because all representatives of the stronger sex are afraid of appearing weak.

What to guide in life

In some situations, it is difficult to understand what to guide in life - the mind or the heart. There is no single correct answer. Each situation requires a special approach. Both the heart and the mind are capable of making mistakes.

It is worth conducting a logical analysis of the situation, making important decisions, taking into account the opinion of reason and knowledge. We all use experience and knowledge in practice every day, we use reason. Most decisions come to be made using the dictates of reason, because some things in life are simply inappropriate. You don’t walk across the road as you please without following the rules. This will cause a disaster sooner or later. By applying knowledge, we make sure it is safe, and only then decide what to do.

But when it comes to one’s own emotions and desires, then the mind becomes an interfering element. In matters of the heart, you often have to live with your heart, turning off logic. Often a person is unable to do something because he is afraid of the consequences. But in such a situation, it is better to trust the call of the heart rather than the mind, so as not to regret in the future.

Fears and inability to believe in yourself are created by the mind; they are based on accumulated experience. If you previously had to experience such fear, then when making a decision today, you will feel fear and anxiety. This will cause indecision. For this reason, it is important to set goals, listen to your heart and act on its prompts.

Sympathy and compassion are qualities of character that allow a person to be kind to people and to nature. Such a person will always come to the rescue, support, and be able to sacrifice his wealth for the sake of a person in need. A sympathetic person will always listen and give advice. A good topic for an essay is “Do we need sympathy and compassion in life,” and we will discuss it in more detail using the example of Platonov’s story “Yushka.”

Why would it be appropriate to choose this particular work for an essay? Using the example of Platonov’s story “Yushka,” one can clearly understand how people have lost empathy and compassion. They offended a person who did nothing wrong for them. If they had behaved differently, perhaps the outcome would have been different. Yushka never responded with evil to their ugly and evil actions, but considered their actions to be a manifestation of love. Marvelous! He told Dashka, the orphan he took in, about this.

“Do we need empathy and compassion in life” - essay

Compassion and empathy are characteristic of strong people who are willing to share their time and opportunities with other people. Such people can both protect and stand up for the weak. Yushka lacked such a person in his life, although he did not show or tell this to anyone. After the death of the main character, the people realized what a kind person Yushka was. He gave food and money to the orphan, and he himself drank water and walked around in cast-offs. A person who is ugly on the outside can be beautiful in soul, as was the main character of the story Yushka. He was convinced that both empathy and compassion are needed in life.

Other facets of showing empathy and compassion in life

If you are preparing an essay on the topic “Do we need empathy and compassion in life,” also pay attention to L. Andreev’s story “Bite.” The problem of empathy and compassion is very acute here. The author tells the story of a dog who lived his life in fear, beatings and hunger. But with the help of human affection, she learned to play, but she could not caress. The caress seemed like a miracle to her, and she did not understand what it was or how to respond to it. Thus, without a feeling of compassion, the dog has learned to experience ordinary joy and reciprocate.

But the dog was soon betrayed again and abandoned. Only Lelya was sincerely worried about her. After such an act, the dog lost faith in human love, care and kindness. This is because the feeling of compassion is not fleeting. It must be embedded in the character, in the soul of a person. If a person is kind by nature, then he will never become evil, and will never stop sympathizing and helping.

Essay conclusions

Do we need empathy and compassion in life? Of course we do. Without them, a person becomes angry, rude, and a hermit. He does not trust people and is afraid of any action on their part. The inability to compassion leads to terrible and irreparable consequences. Cruelty of character can kill a person, crush him as a person, break him. But what should a person do who does not feel a helping hand from other people? Such a person closes himself off and tries to cope with all troubles on his own. But even such a strong person can be broken by a lack of compassion and empathy. I still want to have a friend nearby who will help and support.

But in addition to the fact that a person needs empathy and compassion in life, he must show these qualities to other people. No wonder they say: “Treat people the same way you want them to treat you.” You need to do good deeds for free and show your interest in other people's problems. After all, it is unknown when you will need help, whether that person will help.

Sympathy and compassion are inseparable concepts in life. However, sometimes a warm word is enough to support a lonely, needy person. But in such difficult situations there is no need to promise what you cannot do. So that later a person does not lose faith in human help. There is no need to move mountains of gold; sometimes a warm word is enough for a person to believe in himself again.

Empathy and compassion are certainly needed in every person's life. You may not even notice how you do good deeds. But, seeing gratitude in the eyes, you will understand that you did the right thing. A kind person cannot do otherwise, because such noble qualities as empathy and compassion are in his blood.

Whether you are preparing an essay on the topic “Do we need empathy and compassion in life,” or are simply looking for an answer to this question, we hope that this article has helped you. On our blog you will find many similar materials on any topic of literature that interests you. You may also be interested in

Recently my daughter wrote an essay based on the stories of Platonov, Andreev and a poem by Mayakovsky. This is a text written by an adult. It's not just well written, it's brilliantly written. From the very first paragraph to the last point it doesn’t let you go. I myself would not be ashamed of such an adult, strong and emotional text. But the most important thing is not just thoughts, but also the ability to formulate and implement them in text. And my daughter did this herself, without the slightest help from me.

Here, in fact, is the essay itself.

Do we need empathy and compassion in life?

Every person needs care. Those people who deny this are simply trying to hide their personal pain, and when a person is in pain, he needs help. This is empathy and compassion, our ability to share someone else's pain. But do we need this in life? Are we ready to sacrifice ourselves for others?

What if a person does not receive help from others? Then he will probably feel lonely, and then he will suffer so much that he will stop trusting people and will respond to them with accumulated evil. This is clearly seen in the example of the stray dog ​​Kusaka from the story of the same name by Leonid Andreev. She became a victim of the indifference and cruelty of people, for which she repaid some in the same coin. Until such people appeared who were able to accept her and give Kusaka the love that she had been deprived of for a long time. It's a shame it didn't last long. When the people left, even greater melancholy appeared in her heart. She lost warmth, because of which “the dog howled - evenly, persistently and hopelessly calmly. And to those who heard this howl, it seemed that the pitch-dark night itself was groaning and striving for the light and wanted to go into the warmth, to a bright fire, to a loving woman's heart."

Often, in a fairly simple situation, we need compassion from the outside, even if it comes from a complete stranger. This can be seen in Vladimir Mayakovsky's poem "Good Treatment of Horses." Although he says: “Perhaps she was old and didn’t need a nanny, my thought seemed to suit her, only the horse rushed, stood up, neighed and walked away.” And indeed, it may be invisible to us, but a kind word makes us move on, no matter what.

But often, when people need help and they don’t find it around, all the anger and grief is taken out on someone else, someone who is simply weaker and cannot answer you. In a sense, such a common “scapegoat” was Yushka, the main character of the story of the same name, simply a blacksmith’s assistant. Old, bent over from consumption and very calm and kind in disposition, which infuriates literally everyone. And the point is not in Yushka, but in people who do not receive sympathy from others, see their problems in him, thinking that he is so helpless that he cannot even answer anything. But if silence angered people so much, then when Yushka found something to answer, he received even greater rage in response, which led to the death of the poor artisan. But why then, “However, without Yushka, people’s lives became worse”? We get the answer in the story itself. “Now all the anger and mockery remained among the people and wasted among them, because there was no Yushka, who unrequitedly endured all human evil, bitterness, ridicule and ill will.”

This is why it is important to have empathy and compassion in our lives. I believe that without this we will all be mired in our own anger and pain. This is very familiar to me when other people, seeing your weakness, blame all their troubles on you. At such moments, it is very important that someone is nearby to help carry this load. Otherwise, either a person breaks under the weight of other people’s suffering, or he himself becomes part of universal hatred. It is very important for us to love each other and have compassion in troubles.

(c) Daria Popova

7th grade