What Is Empathy?

Empathy – sharing feelings. 
Feeling – a vague or irrational emotional state. 
Empathy isn’t about sharing ideas.

We aren’t empathising with all the ideas that everyone holds, but we can empathise with something very familiar – holding on to and fixating about ideas.

There are people who believe the earth is flat.
I cannot empathise with that idea, but I can empathise with holding on to an idea. 
There are people who believe there is a consciousness out in space that controls us.
I cannot empathise with that idea, but I can empathise with holding on to an idea.

We can empathise with emotions which binds us. It is the binding that is common to all. And it’s that which we recognise.

Empathising doesn’t mean we’re agreeing; 
we just know what it feels like to be bound.