Lack of Empathy = Bad person ?

[Borna]

I have one question for you. Since we have so many wanna-be internet shrinks on this forum , i guess i can get my answer.

I realized i never truly felt any kind of empathy with someone in bad situation, unless it somehow had an impact on my life as well. I am generally cold person, but something what happened today, made me think about this. I realized i never felt any kind of sorrow, empathy or anything else when tragic events (I did not feel good about it either, just registered it, can't explain), or for example seeing a kid who begs on the street, or something different. I never complained to anyone about my problems, and i expect from people to do the same, but for some reason, lately, every now and then someone swarms me with his problems, expecting for me to help them. But i don't identify with their problems and ussually avoid anyone who is up for any kind of confession.

Today i have seen a girl i knew (Part of a larger circle of people i used to hang out with), and she was in horrible shape. I heard she started using heroine, and picture proved it. Her fingers were deformed, she had every third tooth, some odd looking eyes, and she was texting her drug dealer when i was in a que, waiting to visit my doctor. My friend was with me, and he kept talking how he feels sad for her, but i truly didn't care that much.

Does lack of empathy makes you a bad person ? Or just selfish one ?

[Borna]

SHameless bump.

[Shane]

I don't know if you're a bad person, but certainly it's hard for you to be a happy person.

Humans are social beings and can truly be happy if they live in happy and satisfied surrounding or society for that matter.

[Borna]

I don't know if you're a bad person, but certainly it's hard for you to be a happy person.

Humans are social beings and can truly be happy if they live in happy and satisfied surrounding or society for that matter.

What makes you think like that ? I think i am happy aside few things i am going to change very soon .
This isn't about hapiness, its about lack of empath.

[Shane]

Hmm in that case you would be a Sociopath. But, one fact saves you of that diagnosis. A sociopath would never question his behavior.

[Borna]

Hmm in that case you would be a Sociopath. But, one fact saves you of that diagnosis. A sociopath would never question his behavior.

I don't have problems with interfering with numerous people, i have rather large company of friends, i don't feel nervous or bad when around people. I think you are way off the target. Mainly its me who makes the contact with people i want to meet. I make friendships or lets say contacts extremely easy.

This is related somehow to my thought that everyone is responsible for what is happening to him (No matter how unfortunate faith was on him) and that i should not feel any sorrow because by some cosmic justice, he deserved it.

[Aldaris]

If this is the only problem, you're doing nothing wrong, since you can not control it. You simply cannot force yourself into an emotional reaction, when you don't feel it.

By the way, I'm similar. On theoretical level, I do care about people's lives and I'm strongly against any kind of injustice. But the motivation for my belief system is solely, that "I know it is right", emotional reactions to others' life situations are something I'm not really familiar with.

[Shane]

For example, I don't know if you've heard of a boy, Milan Basarac, who lives with his father in a shabby shack near Sisak. Me and my colleague from Sisak arranged help for him on our faculty and people who've were able to help were happy because of it including us. There is no better way of gaining than giving.

[Shane]

I don't have problems with interfering with numerous people, i have rather large company of friends, i don't feel nervous or bad when around people. I think you are way off the target. Mainly its me who makes the contact with people i want to meet. I make friendships or lets say contacts extremely easy.

This is related somehow to my thought that everyone is responsible for what is happening to him (No matter how unfortunate faith was on him) and that i should not feel any sorrow because by some cosmic justice, he deserved it.

A sociopath is often well liked because of their charm and high charisma, but they do not usually care about other people.

[Aldaris]

This is related somehow to my thought that everyone is responsible for what is happening to him (No matter how unfortunate faith was on him) and that i should not feel any sorrow because by some cosmic justice, he deserved it.

There is absolutely no base for such belief, in fact, numerous examples would prove, this is not the case.