The Selective Nature of Empathy

Empathy can be selective, especially evident in standoffs like the super bowl, the Arab-Israeli conflict, or the Cavanaugh hearings, where individuals find it challenging to empathize with the 'enemy.' Despite the difficulty in empathizing with the opposing side, strong emotions of empathy are displayed, but they are directed solely towards one's own team. The perception of empathy has shifted from 'not enough empathy' being the issue during conflicts to now identifying 'an excess of sympathy' towards one's side as a problem.