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Writing and Empathy Importance

Do you ever feel like something is so close yet so far? That is how it is like with writing and empathy. Writing and empathy are two different things but some similarities that writing and empathy hold are significant to people’s everyday lives. There are multiple reasons why writing and empathy can be connected. Writing is a way people express themselves through words written down. Empathy is the way people understand each other and have a way of connecting to each other as well. Since writing is how some people express themselves, empathy shows relevancy in this because in order to write and express, one should take in consideration of, if not all, most people’s point of views. This way there can be less argument and more connection. If one is writing, there is also reading, the writer should consider the audience, the reader, their point of view when the writer is writing. The writer should not just write from their view but also think about how the reader might feel about what they are writing, it could be offensive or not the same style of thinking.

Empathy is valued at a very high cost, without empathy, many things would not be important. Let us say that someone’s family member has passed away and you offer your condolences, that condolence can mean nothing if you do not understand how that person is feeling. It is just like lying, you can say something, promise something, but if you do not hold up to it, it means nothing at all. Here is where empathy comes in and adds meaning, value, to anything at all. Showing empathy to a person versus showing sympathy to a person is different, empathy is viewed as a high cost something like money. Empathy is like one million dollars, but sympathy is like one-hundred dollars. Showing someone you care and understand versus just telling them is something, is significant and it can change the way people look at things and their actions.

1 reply on “Writing and Empathy Importance”

Hi Wayne! It’s nice to meet you digitally– It’s a cool idea to start off with a question– particularly one that reads as poetic as this one does. I was curious to hear more about why you think empathy and writing are so far apart. In fact, your examples prove that writing and empathy are not so different or far apart at all. You also make a really poignant point about the value of empathy in establishing authentic relationships. If you can’t understand what I’m feeling, do your condolences feel less valuable? That’s an interesting question you’ve got us all considering. Thanks!

Something I’d like you to work on is your wordiness. The first paragraph felt like it was trying to figure out what point it wanted to focus on for a couple of sentences. You could’ve eliminated the first couple of sentences and indicated your interest in the intersection of empathy and writing. This way, you might’ve had more opportunity to offer specific ways these two ideas are related. I also want you to review your sentence structure– we’ll talk about it on Wednesday- but for your own reference, I’d like you to investigate revisions for this sentence here:

Showing someone you care and understand versus just telling them is something, is significant and it can change the way people look at things and their actions.

Can’t wait to hear more from you!
DW

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