Charlie Kirk Was Right About Empathy—Here’s Why

Flopping Aces ^ | 09-21-25 | DrJohn

[Pete Dovgan]

I have asked those who think Charlie Kirk was a:
Fascist or Racist or Hateful to give me a single example of that. There is video everywhere of Charlie Kirk, plenty of available recorded time for them to prove he was any of the things they have called him.

So I will continue to challenge people who ‘hated’ Charlie Kirk to provide video evidence, in context, that he ascribed to any of the aforementioned insults. I suspect that the people saying that about him confused their image with Charlie Kirk. Democrats are so good at projection.

[dangus]

I was directly referencing his quote about sympathy and empathy. Sympathy is feeling sorrowful for someone. Empathy is feeling the same emotion that other person is feeling. Compassion means to suffer with someone. It’s similar to sympathy, but can be deeper felt: Sometimes, sympathy can merely mean an understanding of someone’s suffering. I’m not familiar with your quote of Kirk’s, but I suppose he meant that compassion is felt so deeply that one is motivated to action.

[Jim W N]

I always thought

- “sympathy” meant you felt for the guy and “sympathized” with his argument while I thought,
- “empathy” meant you felt for the guy but didn’t necessarily side with his argument.

[Svartalfiar]

Empathy is jumping into deep water to save a drowning man when you don’t know how to swim or how strong the currents are.

...Huh?

[Svartalfiar]

Empathy, sure, I don't know exactly how such and such feels (losing a child, etc),

But, I have an imagination, I can put myself in others' shoes, and share their sorrow and misery, and because I believe Jesus is the "Way", and because I have a relationship with Jesus, I can share hope and joy, with other sufferers on this sin-darkened world, and point them to their hope (Jesus) as well.

That is not empathy. That is sympathy.

Empathy is when you can share someone's feeling(s) because you have been in that situation and you know what it's like from first-hand experience. Imagination is, if anything, a sympathetic response, not empothetic

[Svartalfiar]

Empathy exists, at least with older generations. I tend to be very empathic. It’s not a very helpful ability. As one of countless examples: If my wife is angry at something, she doesn’t need her husband to get angry with her. She needs me to have sympathy for her, and to compliment her efforts; unless the solution were to go over and beat the crap out of whoever made her angry, my anger isn’t helpful. Sympathy makes me helpful and helps her know she is loved and helps both of us solve the problem; anger just makes her worried I’m going to get into trouble.

Empathy isn't just feeling the same thing. You getting angry at her because she is angry (at you or others), isn't empathetic, it's just a similar response to a very different stimuli. It has nothing to do with age, outside of an older person is more likely to have experienced the same situation at some point. Empathy is being able to experience the same feelings, because you have experienced the same situation.

[dangus]

No no no no no no. I did not say the words you’re shoving down my throat. I never said she gets angry at me, and in fact the examples I gave are incompatible with that notion.

[Svartalfiar]

He said he believed in compassion over empathy as compassion was action vs empathy a feeling.

Which doesn't really make sense.

You can empathize, sympathize, or not have feelings. But compassion isn't in the same group. It's like saying you're in a BBQ competition, and for those you like to submit pancakes.

[HollyB]

He said it at one of his school debates that I saw a while back.

[fwdude]

Empathy is not sympathy.

[Svartalfiar]

Ah sorry, well strike the “you or” part, and go again!

[Svartalfiar]

I didn’t say it was, I’m just unsure how that relates to blindly jumping into a river to try to save someone?

[Svartalfiar]

I always thought

- “sympathy” meant you felt for the guy and “sympathized” with his argument while I thought,
- “empathy” meant you felt for the guy but didn’t necessarily side with his argument.

Sympathy is feeling bad for someone. Empathy is being able to feel with them, because you have been in that situation. These definitions don't really apply to a discussion/argument, they're more feelings/emotions related to some event occurring to someone.

In terms of an argument, sympathizing does describe an understanding and agreement with the opposing party, but empathizing isn't really applicable in that situation.