Empathy and Loving Attention

Abstract The failure to understand the needs, beliefs, and values of others is widely blamed on a lack empathy, which has been touted in recent years as necessary ingredient for bringing us together ultimately tackling issues social justice harmony. In this essay, I explore whether empathy really can serve role it tasked with. To answer question, will first identify what why its champions believe plays such an essential life. With mind, contend that promoting own may make solidarity among diverse populations more difficult achieve undermine reconciliation. Instead, argue different approach begins with acknowledging our self-oriented perspective how shapes we see, appreciate, interpret, before turning kind loving attention. Unlike attention allows see they are, not imagine would be their shoes, perception bridging divides building contemporary world.