TLA134 Empathy vs Sympathy — A Conversation with Dr Melissa Robinson Winemiller Reel

So empathy, as far as to define it, it's understanding and connection by taking the perspective of the other. And a lot of times we think empathy is just about feeling, about I feel what you feel. And yeah, that's part of it. But over the years, there's actually been 43 different definitions of empathy. So the feeling is part of it, but it's, it's a small part of it. It's more about perspective taking, understanding what it is to be that other person. And seeing the world through their eyes. That's the difference between empathy and sympathy. Empathy, you're trying to see the world through that other person's eyes. Sympathy, you're seeing it through your own, which means that you always end up with a comparison. You know, what must this look like compared to what I do? And that can bring in an element of judgment. That's why when we're talking medical people and people in the medical establishments, they're actually trained not to use sympathy.