A picture is worth a thousand words, goes a saying. I wonder what this short film of under 5 minutes would be worth?
Do watch this video which was doing its round on WhatsApp though we had been using them in our sessions on empathy.
Often people mistake empathy with sympathy. I cannot put it better than this quote by Marshall B. Rosenberg, the creator of Nonviolent Communication (NVC). : “With empathy, I’m fully with them, and not full of them – that’s sympathy,”
Empathy is what makes us human. I had written this article titled- The Complex dynamics of empathy which was published in The Hindu’s Open Page in 2016. Maybe, it is time to keep reminding us to walk in other’s shoes now and then and maybe teach our young too.
As a post-script, I wonder if we can order from the local vendor instead of ordering online from retail giants?
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
I don’t usually watch videos on blogs, I prefer reading the thoughts of the writer. Helps me empathise better
I absolutely am with you. But I loved this video and I felt I wouldn’t do justice to this video .
The quick video you shared showed how a simple visual can evoke such strong emotions in under five minutes, pretty impressive.
Oh, and that Rosenberg quote—“With empathy, I’m fully with them, and not full of them”—has been echoing in my mind since I read it. It’s such a powerful reminder. Your post has really got me thinking about how crucial it is to not just talk about empathy but to actually model and teach it in our daily lives. It’s definitely given me a lot to ponder!
I believe empathy is such a vital skill that shapes how we connect and lead. This insights said remind me that teaching empathy starts with patience, example, and open hearts.
No, empathy cannot be taught. It has to be developed. Glad you explained the difference between Empathy and Sympathy.
That little girl had me in tears. Between 2018 and 2022, I travelled the length and breadth of the country for CSR coffee table books. I saw such abject poverty and deeply sunken lives that my heart almost always came out of my mouth. For many years, I couldn’t get those visuals, the children, the women out of my mind. Since then, I look for the vendor with least amount of customers and buy at the price he asks for. There’s been so much learning for me over the years. Sympathy is momentary but empathy is a long route, probably the road that leads to change.
Yours is a touching post, and how most people mistake sympathy for empathy. I have also written a blog on empathy. I think most Indians do not know what empathy is. From the rulers to the ruled, there is no sign of empathy. Why is it so difficult to imagine yourself in someone’s shoes and feel what that person is feeling?
The only way we can change or improve something is through empathy. “With empathy, I’m fully with them, and not full of them – that’s sympathy,” this quote says it all and I think it’s going to stick in my mind for a long time now
Completely agree with the views expressed here by you and Psychologist Marshall Rosenberg, I have watched some more videos of him talking about Non-violent communication. Given the spurt of crimes of passion , we all need more of this.
That is such a meaningful video. The quote by Rosenberg is the absolute truth to stand by.
I have tears in my eyes….. Such a powerful and heart touching video…. It made me feel cry out loud…. Oh! God help them I felt. But at the end the empathy, the feeling and the hug of the father daughter…. made me smile. Thank you so much for sharing this video…. I felt every bit of it.
It took me a while to understand and inculcate the difference between sympathy and empathy myself. This short video works so so well to get that across. Thanks for sharing it with us, Chandrika
This clip was a reflection of how we are becoming in life, and in the name of empathy we keep promoting sympathy even when it is not required.
What struck me most was how this under‑5‑minute video could evoke such deep reflection. It’s proof that empathy doesn’t need heavy-handed narratives. I love the emphasis on modeling empathy for our kids; they learn far more by seeing it than hearing it.
Our world today is hugely lacking in empathy or basic human emotions rather.
This video struck a chord I hope many try to understand the differences between sympathy and empathy through this
Empathy is important, especially in today’s time when we’re all in need of someone who understands. Nice video!
Now-a-days, I’ve made it a point not to bargain when I’m buying things from the street vendors. What a powerful lesson in under 5 mins.
My heart broke. Your stories stay with me in deep corners of my heart. Last time the professor explaining life to his students using different chai cups stole my heart and this time this video that reflects society. When swiggy delivers we round up the cash just so we don’t have to give him coins but in market we bargain. Life is cruel specially when humans lack empathy. Thank you for sharing this!
You are absolutely right. Sympathy and empathy are two different things. Most of the time, people need empathy and not sympathy. A simple but powerful video.
This video left a lump in my throat. It made me realize how easily we swipe our cards in big stores, but hesitate to pay full price to the very people who work the hardest. Thank you for sharing this, sometimes we all need a little nudge to be more mindful and human.
Mistaking empathy with sympathy is really a common mistake, just like you mentioned. In Marthi, Hindi or Sanskrit, there’s a really all encompasing word for these things “Karuna”. I had also written a post about this before.
I love reading your short and flash stories. Watching video on blog is new to me butt I loved it
Sadly the video link is broken so we cannot see it.