You are not alone. Most people confuse the two terms.
What I find interesting is why there is so much universal confusion.
Also I am personally interested in the teaching and learning of empathy and have invented a way of doing it on the internet.
The only problem is that almost everyone thinks they are already empathic and have no need to learn to empathise.
But of course what they are good at, and what they understand, is sympathy.
And I am sure you can sympathise with that.
i did not realize that so many people confused empathy and sympathy, or had their meanings reversed. they seem like common terms.
i find that i cannot sympathize easily, for me it is incredibly difficult. i can often empathize, but it is empathy in the true sense, an understanding of the situation, and
far removed from sympathy. i can understand the reasons for what a person is feeling, and understand the
path that led them to their current situation, but i cannot identify with their feelings. i feel like it is somewhat impersonal, that i am connecting with the person's situation, but not with the person. of course, i think that it is easier to give advice from an empathetic point of view, but a person always appreciates the
personal connection and feeling of a sympathetic listener.
Mmm, I doubt using one excludes the other, Victor. I think it's very possible to use both to gain a better grasp of the situation, and would argue that it's possibly the best way to actually approach the situation.
i would think it is almost impossible to be sympathetic and empathetic at the same time. if someone is sympathetic they are feeling what the other person is feeling, but if someone is empathetic they are not feeling wha the other is feeling. i see the two as being very much like subjectivism and objectivism. the sympathetic person is subjective, and feels what the other person feels. wheras the empathetic person is objective, they understand the feelings but do not share them.
i agree with you Amargith, that a balance between the two is ideal. but i think the balance comes from having two people, a sympathetic person and an empathetic person. i am not so sure one person can be both
at the same time.
i think that people often have innate tendencies to be either sympathetic or empathetic. i am empathetic, for example. but i think they both have their place, and they compliment each other very well.