[MD] empathy

[X Acto]

Margaret had said:
But this topic - the interaction between people is of great interest, 
("To know oneself is to study oneslef in action with another person." Bruce
Lee)
I have recently been considering the subject of empathy. 

I often hear myself using the words: 'put yourself in XXXX's shoes' (to try
to forge some diplomatic mission or task with friends or relatives) and from
many people I get the: 
"I can't possibly do that" answer. To which I reply, 'REALLY?' you can't
possibly try to imagine what conditions another person is experiencing? 

I grew up with the "Walk a mile in your neighbor's moccasins" poem on our
kitchen wall at my grandparents house. But lately I get scoffed at by this
sentiment. 

My attorney and I were discussing this and noting that perhaps 'empathy' is
becoming a lost art...could that be? Are we going to have to leave the
'empathy' skill to the attorneys in all of our transactions with each other
because we can't/or refuse to 'try' to 'imagine' being in another persons
shoes because it's not concrete enough thinking? 

Ron:
In a society where Randian objectivism had become fairly popular I would
expect frequent encounters with other folks who see empathy as a kind of
weakness. 
I tend to think that it is an old struggle one that shifts with values over 
time.