Empathy and writing go hand in hand, this is because you can’t have good writing without empathy. Empathy is the understanding of someone else’s emotions, understanding why someone else is acting the way they are. Writing is similar to empathy because in a person’s writing they need to include a “why” and a “how” to make the writing stand out. Writing becomes dangerous when that writing includes a topic that the author does not fully understand and that is where empathy comes in. this is the reason why journalists go undercover, or interview sources to get their information because they want it to be accurate and to fully grasp the situation at hand.
Empathy isn’t only important in writing but it is important for all of humanity. Without empathy people wouldn’t take the time to understand each other. People wouldn’t care for what others are going through. We can see this in psychopaths where they show no remorse due to the lack of empathy.
I did it
Empathy rules
#whatisthis
1 reply on “1/30 9:00 class”
#empathyrulesindeed
Thanks, Bernice. It’s great to get to know you and your writing style. I’m totally obsessed with this idea: Writing becomes dangerous when that writing includes a topic that the author does not fully understand and that is where empathy comes in. this is the reason why journalists go undercover, or interview sources to get their information because they want it to be accurate and to fully grasp the situation at hand.
So much so, I want to know more about the process of writing becoming dangerous. I think I see where you are headed with the example of journalists going to extreme measures to get the right story–but I need more clarification of how that pursuit is a consequence of the danger of uninformed writing.
Do you think it is your responsibility as a writer to be informed as well?
Can’t wait to hear more from you!
DW