Empathy is something that a lot of people think is a good thing to have and in most cases, it is but that’s not always how things play out. Some people use empathy to get the upperhand over others and while it might seem impossible, I assure you it’s not.
Empathy is all about understanding other people and being able to relate to them. This for the most part relating to feelings but some people are able to relate while separating themselves from the emotions altogether which gives them the upperhand when it comes to taking advantage of other people. Empathy can be used to deceive and that’s something we all need to work to be more aware of.
You might assume that someone who can really feel the things you’re going through will offer you a helping hand but that’s not always what ends up happening. Some people through being able to relate will use these feelings you’re having to get what they want from you or something else of the sort. If someone is able to relate to your sadness they are also aware of how to use that sadness to gain power over you or to even break you down further.
Your average person isn’t going to do this but in this world we call our home, there are tons of people who are willing to hurt others for their own gain. These people will use their empathic abilities to get in our heads and break us down however they see fit. They will make us think they’re on our side by relating to us and then eventually their true colors will come out. You would be blown away if you really knew how deceptive some of the people closest to you might truly be.
Who better to take advantage of a victim than a victim themselves, right? For more information on the dark side of empathy as a whole please check out the video below. There are lots of toxic people in this world and the more you work to understand that the better.
There can be a lot more violence, manipulation, and other things to empathy that we need to work to understand. Just because someone can feel your pain doesn’t mean they’re going to help you through it. The most dangerous people are the wolves who run around wrapped in sheep’s clothing. No, we shouldn’t close ourselves off from everyone, but we should work to be cautious about the people we allow in our lives and who we give power to.
Sources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/empathy