Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy

What is sympathy

You and I know what sympathy is.

When you and I walk on the streets, we sometimes see poor people sitting with begging bowls. Some of the kind people among us always make it a point to put a one rupee coin in some of the bowls.

• We donate a tiny fraction of what we have in our pocket.

• Some people donate a good amount of money to the poor asking for money.

• All these noble acts are done out of sympathy.

So, we know what sympathy is.

And what is empathy?

Now, since we have discussed sympathy with examples, may I ask you about the other very similar word called empathy?

• The word empathy is used so many times in our conversation.

Do you know what is empathy?

• I didn't know the meaning of empathy very clearly.

I understood later that empathy and sympathy are not synonymous.

Empathy and sympathy are not the same.

Many of us may think empathy and sympathy are synonymous.

Sympathy and empathy are two noble emotions in the living world.

• Both sympathy and empathy are compassion, but not the same.

• Every animal world probably understands them very well.

• But, we humans (such as I) don't understand the difference between sympathy and empathy very clearly.

• I got some help from a short film named "Bondhu," which means "Friend."

After I watched the short film "Bondhu" or "Friend" my idea about empathy and sympathy get a clear understanding.

Please watch the film in the embedded video. It may take less than 5 minutes!

It has excellent English subtitles.

Video Source

Concluding thoughts

• Both sympathy and empathy are compassion but not synonymous.

But there is a sharp demarcation between sympathy and empathy.

• I don't think I can clearly express empathy using words.

• If you watched the short film "Bondhu," you got the meaning.

Empathy probably relates the feelings by seeing problems in our minds.

• It is like wearing other people's shoes and feeling the world from their perspectives.

I hope I could make it clear what empathy and sympathy are.

Postscript

• Don't worry.

• You and I are in the same boat.

• Don't bother whether it is sympathy or empathy.

Let us show compassion for our fellow companions of the planet.

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Cheers!

Unity (Debesh Choudhury)

Text Copyright © 2022 Debesh Choudhury — All Rights Reserved

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Lead Image:  I created a GIF using my title texts and screenshots from "Bondhu."

All other images are either drawn/created/screenshots by myself or credited to the respective artists/sources.

Disclaimer: All texts are mine and original. Any similarity and resemblance to any other content are purely accidental. The article is not advice for life, career, business, or investment. Do your research before adopting any options.

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Oct 15, 2022