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London Shriver

Mrs. Davis

Composition II ENGL-1213

31 January 2020

Do You Care Enough?

As a small child and all through my upbringing, empathy for others was my mother’s “go

to” for handling almost all of my tragedies. Empathy is most commonly described as putting

yourself in someone else’s shoes and understanding their feelings. Empathy is important in day

to day life and interaction. It gives a person the skills to form relationships. I would argue that

empathy is what makes a person compassionate and forgiving in most circumstances. When I

was young, it was not uncommon for me to be told to “see something through someone else’s

eyes.” Whether it was when I was frustrated with a friend or nagging at my parents, little did I

realize those people just wanted me to have empathy. Empathy is a skill that improves our lives,

and what helps us develop, generate kinship with others.

Empathy enables people to help others when they are in difficult times. This amazing

thing is what enables people to handle life and their jobs. As a young adult facing this

professional world, I would certainly hope to be met by many in their fields with a wealth of

empathy. For instance, I expect my doctor to show empathy when I am sick. I trust my teachers

to be loving toward students. Also, when I am struggling financially, I certainly hope my banker

would be empathetic. It is important to realize that one’s actions greatly impact others. It is

important to treat others with kindness and patience.  

Empathy enables kindness and kindness is what makes the world go round. Cultivating

empathy is important so that we will not be judgmental. It is always easy to be hateful and look
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down on others. I find that when we are open to others it becomes easier for them to share their

feelings. Body language is an outward expression of empathy.  Eye contact is usually reassuring

to others. Another use of body language would be to smile or have a pleasant facial expression

when talking. When I share personal feelings with others, I feel more assured if the person is

making eye contact and has a pleasant look for me. Face-to-face conversation is natural and

humanistic (Turkle). It is my general rule that if I am speaking to someone to give them my full

and undivided attention. 

Sadly, technology and cell phones almost always get in the way of that. Technology plays

a large role in the use of empathy. Sometimes in a good way, but almost always for the worst.

For instance, social media can be used as a tool for expressing one’s feelings to others.

Technology in the younger generations has been proven to be destructive. Social media has

opened a portal of negativity, often ending in hateful cyber-bullying. Sherry Turkle asserts that

technology is a problem in many cases. “From the early days, I saw that computers offer the

illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship and then, as the programs got really

good, the illusion of friendship without the demands of intimacy” (381).  Children that are

focused on technology could just be feeling the illusion of companionship and friendship.

Technology for teenagers have replaced friends and family. Video games, Netflix, and online

shopping have all damaged and stunted the growth of empathy in young adults.

 A world without empathy and friendship would be sad and negative. Empathy is a skill

that improves our lives, and what helps our brains generate kinship. Humans demand social

interaction, and for social interaction to be possible there should be a great deal of empathy.

Empathy is important for the world to keep moving forward from hate, racism, and judgement.

Empathy cultivates happiness, without happiness people would be down. Humans are all
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connected in one way or another. Many people can generally say that generosity, kindness, and

empathy is the key to maintaining a peaceful and happy life. So spread empathy, everyone

deserves at least a small amount of kindness.  

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      Works Cited

Turkle, Sherry. “The Empathy Diaries.” Emerging, edited by Barclay Barios, Bedford/st.
Martins, 2019, 378-387.