The Impact of Empathy on Taking Responsibility for Others

Empathy can lead to harmful dependency, as it often causes individuals to become too invested in others' problems. When one takes on another's challenges, such as finding a partner or addressing personal issues, it can result in negative outcomes for both parties: the helper may experience emotional burnout while the person being helped may become less proactive or reliant on others. This dynamic is especially evident in relationships where excessive assistance transforms into enabling laziness, particularly seen in parental relationships with children. As parents do more for their children, such as managing daily responsibilities, the children often display increased incompetence, categorized as weaponized incompetence. This phenomenon arises when the person receiving help does not develop their capabilities because someone else consistently resolves their challenges. Effective helping should, therefore, focus on fostering independence rather than merging responsibilities, highlighting the distinction between compassion and empathy.