It is a challenge to sustain empathy for those choosing to not get vaccinated. And I say that - having family members I care about who are choosing to not get vaccinated. It makes me question the very nature of Empathy. What is it? What is its purpose? (Obviously it has a purpose). I believe it is what pushes us to help others when we have the capacity to help. Concerned feeling are all very nice, but their actual helpfulness is limited. If my empathy pushes me to say, “Hey, I care about you. I’m concerned. Can we talk politely about vaccination? Its pros and cons?” But if that person is still not interested or loathe to look at actual statistics, at that point, the empathy gets rather pointless. Yes, I care, but it become the traffic accident that you are helpless to prevent. At a certain point I detach a little bit and what happens, happens. It is sad, but out of my control. There is a side of that simply starts to accept that some of these folks are going to get sick, maybe very sick. A little part of me that is more practical than empathetic feels a little satisfaction when I read of those who fall ill from their stupidity and I hope it spurs more to take vaccination seriously. Like part of me is willing to see a few losses in hopes of a greater good. And I am a little horrified when I see that in myself. It is indeed a tightrope to maintain empathy - to continue to care - when so much chosen ignorance is at play.
It is a challenge to sustain empathy for those choosing to not get vaccinated. And I say that - having family members I care about who are choosing to not get vaccinated. It makes me question the very nature of Empathy. What is it? What is its purpose? (Obviously it has a purpose). I believe it is what pushes us to help others when we have the capacity to help. Concerned feeling are all very nice, but their actual helpfulness is limited. If my empathy pushes me to say, “Hey, I care about you. I’m concerned. Can we talk politely about vaccination? Its pros and cons?” But if that person is still not interested or loathe to look at actual statistics, at that point, the empathy gets rather pointless. Yes, I care, but it become the traffic accident that you are helpless to prevent. At a certain point I detach a little bit and what happens, happens. It is sad, but out of my control. There is a side of that simply starts to accept that some of these folks are going to get sick, maybe very sick. A little part of me that is more practical than empathetic feels a little satisfaction when I read of those who fall ill from their stupidity and I hope it spurs more to take vaccination seriously. Like part of me is willing to see a few losses in hopes of a greater good. And I am a little horrified when I see that in myself. It is indeed a tightrope to maintain empathy - to continue to care - when so much chosen ignorance is at play.