Lots of heavy stuff going on here that i think is very important to look at...thought it might make for interesting discussion.
Empathic Perspectives: False Love
not just this article...check out some of the others too.
oh and for fun a quiz...
What kind of Empath are you? | Quizfarm.com
Widening the question beyond love, the problem is that we deceive ourselves.
Socrates realised this three thousand years ago and for his pains he was given hemlock, for there is nothing more precious to ourselves than our self deceptions.
For instance the very word, 'empath', is suspect for not only is it a made up word, it is flattering. And flattery will get you anywhere.
I can remember visiting the back ward of the Psychiatric hospital, and listening to the delusions of schizophrenics. And being disorientated to hear schizophrenics validating the delusions of other schizophrenics. And this is precisely what we do to one another's self deceptions - we validate them - as it seems only polite and even 'empathic' to validate one another's self deceptions.
In fact it is socially dangerous not to validate one another's self deceptions - just look at what happened to Socrates.
But the situation is even worse because our national life is based on group fantasy. And to analyse our group fantasies and ask for evidence is seen as un-Australian.
Thank heavens we still have free speech and a free press. But today offence is taken by some sections of our community when group fantasies are criticised.
And today such offence is met by violence across the globe.
This is beyond sad and is dangerous particularly as nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons, not to mention conventional arms and bombs, are falling into the hands of the offended.
Fortunately we still have the example of Socrates from three thousand years ago, and we have the Enlightenment from the sixteenth and seventeen centuries that sought to replace individual self deception and group fantasies with evidence and reason.
And today even love is based on mutual validation. And the confidence tricksters declare themselves to be empaths without evidence or reason.
But when you bet on a horse race, always back the horse called, "Self Interest", because you know they are trying to win.