Empathy vs. Sympathy vs. Compassion: Different Kinds of Kindness
While travelling home from lunch in Bath with relatives, I pondered our conversations about the differences between empathy, sympathy and compassion.
In simplicity, I compared myself to my husband by recognising that I have more empathy. In contrast, my husband rationally understands what others are feeling but doesn’t get attached like me, so he has more sympathy.
Our great-uncle added to that conversation: “Empathy and sympathy is an everyday exercise, while compassion is more of a once-a-week action.”
What did he mean?
In summary, empathy involves shared emotional experiences, sympathy is about emotional acknowledgement from a distance, and compassion extends beyond understanding or feeling to include a desire to assist actively. Each has its role in how we support and connect with others.
Please explain empathy vs. sympathy vs. compassion!
Empathy is about deeply understanding and sharing the feelings of another person. It involves emotionally putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. This deep emotional connection is why empathy is often desired in supportive relationships, as it makes the person feel genuinely understood and less alone.
On the other hand, sympathy is more about acknowledging another person’s emotional hardships from a distance. It involves feelings of pity or sorrow for someone else’s misfortune without the immersive emotional experience that empathy entails. Sympathy provides comfort through recognising someone’s struggles rather than shared experiences.
Compassion combines elements of both empathy and sympathy but adds an action-oriented dimension. It’s not just understanding or feeling for someone in their distress; it’s also about genuinely wanting to help alleviate their suffering. Compassion drives people to take action to support or help the person in need.
When is sympathy more suitable than empathy? When there is a lot of prolonged distress, sympathy is certainly more helpful as it distances the supporter from the problem.
