ILLUSTRATION: KATHRIN LANG
Of all the emotional tools that aid connection with others, empathy is an interesting one, related to sympathy but different to kindness. Some are blessed with a capacity for it, even though many psychologists view it as a learned behaviour that can be cultivated throughout life. It can be defined as the ability to step into someone else’s shoes – to see things from another’s perspective, to slide, albeit temporarily, into a mould not made by you. Seeing the world from inside another shape helps to develop fellow feeling and lessens the divide between people. It could be viewed as a gift as it recognises standards are personal, and can’t be met by all.