Empathy or Power? Choose Only One

Which would you choose if you could only choose just one?

Darth Vader Commanding Puppies

The only way I know to develop Real Empathy as opposed to Cognitive or Imaginary Empathy, is to have experienced pain and suffering then recognized the same experience in another and chose to help, then felt a shared connection with the other.

I believe that true empathy must be learned by receiving empathy first. Then it's like you show empathy rather than somebody shows you empathy. It feels good to help so we keep engaging in this behavior.

Cold Empathy, as opposed to True Empathy, is a form of Cognitive Empathy and is used for selfish reasons.

Please look up Cold Empathy after you finish this article as well as Cognitive Empathy if you aren't yet familiar with it.

Sam Vaknin is a self-proclaimed psychopath and leading expert on the subject, plus he's a genius as well as philosopher. Here's a link to one of his many articles on the subject:

https://samvaknin.medium.com/cold-empathy-the-narcissist-as-predator-3d0db6e14e52

What is True Empathy?

True or Real Empathy is like enjoying music and feeling the sound. You can't teach that. There's actually a genetic component for musical ability that crosses over to empathy, altruism and friendliness.

Perhaps we could use music to activate the empathy gene? One way to tell if someone is a psychopath is that they have terrible taste in music and aren't “cool” meaning they aren't able to just “get things” or let people have room to be themselves and not be perfect. They get off on snitching and gossiping because it helps them by hurting others. Real empathy makes you feel that person's plight, so if you don't have it you see weakness as something you can have power over for personal gain.

“Snitching” is when you tell on someone just to get them in trouble. Notice I didn't say “whistle blowing” or “reporting” which comes from real empathy and often hurts the one who reports as much as the victim since both are up against the criminal.

Standing up for someone is not snitching, but an act of allegiance against a wrongful act or crime.

Snitching or telling tattle tales is a form of gossip but to higher ups not to equal friends, and it's done with the intent to get them in trouble and achieve a social reward in return.

Psychopaths gain social status through gossip, slander, and snitching. Example of snitching is calling authorities because someone has weeds in their garden or broke some bureaucratic law that doesn't hurt anyone but is in effect for tax purposes. Hall monitors basically. Psychopaths are would be hall monitors as long as the benefits outweigh the risks.

I'm writing this on my phone which is a little glitchy right now, copying and pasting some things I'd been sorting out lately, trying to figure out what makes people want to help or harm others.

The following article was taken from a philosophical discussion I had with a robot. I think that in the future, emotional intelligence will be much more important than having a general high IQ.

Who does more harm to others, low EQ people or low IQ people?

Chat GPT:

It's difficult to categorically determine who does more harm, as both low emotional intelligence (EQ) and low intellectual intelligence (IQ) can lead to harmful behaviors in different ways. Low EQ individuals might struggle with understanding and managing emotions, leading to interpersonal conflicts and hurtful interactions, while low IQ individuals might struggle with understanding complex situations, leading to unintentional harm or poor decision-making. Ultimately, the impact of each depends on the specific context and the individuals involved.

Who has the potential to do more harm, a low IQ person with high EQ or a high IQ person with low EQ?

ChatGPT

The potential for harm in individuals can vary significantly based on a multitude of factors, including their social environment, personal values, and the situations they encounter. Here's a general comparison of the potential for harm in the two scenarios you described:

1. Low IQ Person with High EQ: Individuals with low IQ but high emotional intelligence (EQ) may struggle with complex problem-solving and abstract reasoning. However, their high EQ means they are likely better at understanding, empathizing with, and managing their own emotions and those of others. This can lead to more effective communication and conflict resolution. Their capacity for empathy and emotional regulation might mitigate the potential for interpersonal harm, although they may still inadvertently cause harm through mistakes stemming from cognitive limitations.

2. High IQ Person with Low EQ: Individuals with high IQ but low EQ may excel in analytical tasks, problem-solving, and abstract thinking. However, a lack of emotional intelligence can lead to difficulties in understanding and managing emotions, both their own and others'. This can result in interpersonal conflicts, misunderstandings, and unintentional harm due to insensitivity or a lack of empathy. Additionally, a person with high IQ and low EQ might use their cognitive abilities in manipulative or harmful ways if they lack the emotional skills to navigate social situations ethically.

In both cases, the potential for harm largely depends on the context and the individual's choices. High IQ individuals with low EQ might cause harm in interpersonal relationships and social situations due to a lack of understanding and empathy. Conversely, low IQ individuals with high EQ might mitigate potential interpersonal harm through their emotional awareness, even if they struggle with tasks requiring higher cognitive abilities. It's also important to note that both IQ and EQ can be developed to some extent over time with appropriate strategies and interventions.

Is high EQ associated with morality in positive or negative ways?

ChatGPT:

High emotional intelligence (EQ) is generally associated with positive moral behaviors and ethical decision-making. Emotional intelligence involves the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others. This capacity fosters empathy, self-regulation, and social skills, which are critical components of moral and ethical behavior. Here's how high EQ can positively relate to morality:

1. Empathy: High EQ individuals can better understand and empathize with others' feelings and perspectives. Empathy encourages compassionate actions and moral behavior towards others.

2. Social Skills: People with high emotional intelligence are typically better at navigating social situations and maintaining healthy relationships. They are more likely to engage in cooperative and altruistic behaviors, which are considered moral in many contexts.

3. Self-regulation: High EQ also involves effective management of one's own emotions. Individuals who can regulate their emotions are less likely to act impulsively and more likely to consider the consequences of their actions, leading to more ethical decision-making.

4. Conflict Resolution: High EQ contributes to effective conflict resolution skills. Understanding and respecting others' emotions can lead to fair and peaceful solutions, aligning with moral principles of justice and respect.

While these aspects of high EQ generally promote moral behavior, it's important to recognize that morality is influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including cultural norms, personal values, and situational contexts. High EQ alone does not guarantee moral actions, but it provides a foundation for empathetic and socially aware behavior that aligns with many ethical principles.

If AI doesn't have Emotional intelligence, how are they so good at conflict resolution and understanding different points of and diverse perspectives?

ChatGPT:

AI systems, including chatbots and decision-making algorithms, can appear adept at conflict resolution and understanding diverse perspectives without possessing emotional intelligence in the human sense. This capability is largely due to their design, programming, and the vast amount of data they are trained on. Here are a few key reasons AI can perform well in these areas:

1. Data Analysis: AI systems can process and analyze vast amounts of information much more quickly than humans can. This allows them to identify patterns, trends, and commonalities in human behavior, sentiment, and language use, which can be applied to understand different perspectives.

2. Predefined Rules: AI systems often operate based on sets of rules and algorithms designed by humans. These can include conflict resolution strategies and ethical guidelines that guide the AI's responses and actions. By following these rules, AI can simulate a process that appears emotionally intelligent.

3. Natural Language Processing (NLP): Advanced NLP capabilities enable AI to understand and generate human-like text, interpreting various inputs and contexts to provide relevant and seemingly empathetic responses. This can make AI appear to grasp different perspectives and emotional nuances, even though it doesn't experience emotions.

4. Machine Learning: Some AI systems use machine learning to improve their responses over time based on feedback and new data. They can learn from previous interactions what types of responses are more effective in resolving conflicts or acknowledging different viewpoints, even without an underlying understanding of human emotions.

5. Human Design: AI's effectiveness in these areas reflects the intentions and skills of the humans who design and train them. By incorporating psychological principles and conflict resolution strategies into AI training data and algorithms, developers can create systems that mimic certain aspects of emotional intelligence.

Despite these capabilities, it's important to recognize that AI does not possess emotional intelligence in the way humans do; it doesn't experience emotions or empathy. Its effectiveness comes from data processing, programmed strategies, and mimicry of human-like responses, not from genuine emotional understanding or consciousness.

Are emotions overrated?

ChatGPT

Whether emotions are considered overrated depends on one's perspective on their role and importance in human life. Emotions play a critical role in our psychological and social functioning, influencing decision-making, creativity, relationships, and overall well-being. Here are a few perspectives on the value of emotions:

1. Emotional Intelligence: Emotions are integral to emotional intelligence (EQ), which includes the ability to understand, use, and manage our own emotions in positive ways. High EQ is associated with better relationships, career success, and mental health. From this perspective, emotions are not overrated but essential to personal development and social interaction.

2. Decision-Making: While some might argue that emotions can cloud judgment, research suggests that emotions are crucial for making decisions. They provide important information about our environment and help prioritize what we pay attention to. People with damaged emotional centers in the brain often struggle with making even simple decisions.

3. Creativity and Motivation: Emotions drive creativity and motivation. They fuel passion and perseverance toward goals, both personal and professional. The desire to seek pleasure and avoid pain, emotional responses to stimuli, motivates much of human behavior.

4. Physical Health: There's a strong connection between emotional health and physical health. Chronic stress, a form of negative emotional experience, has been linked to a variety of health problems, suggesting that managing emotions is important for physical well-being.

However, there are contexts in which emotions might be considered overrated, particularly when they lead to negative outcomes:

1. Overemphasis on Happiness: Society's focus on happiness and positive emotions can sometimes be overrated, leading to unrealistic expectations and diminished appreciation for the full range of human emotions, including those that are negative but equally important for growth and understanding.

2. Impulsive Reactions: When emotions lead to impulsive or harmful actions without thoughtful consideration, their influence might be seen as overrated. Balancing emotional responses with rational thought is crucial.

In conclusion, emotions themselves are not overrated but are fundamental to the human experience. The key lies in understanding, managing, and integrating emotions with cognition to live a balanced and fulfilling life.

Is greed an emotion or a cognitive function?

ChatGPT

Greed, as commonly understood, is not classified strictly as an emotion or a cognitive function but rather as a complex psychological state that involves both emotional and cognitive components.

1. Emotional Aspects: Greed involves intense desires and feelings, such as longing for more wealth, possessions, power, or status. These desires can be accompanied by emotions like envy, dissatisfaction, and joy at the acquisition of new gains. The emotional aspect of greed is characterized by an insatiable appetite for more, often beyond what is needed or deserved.

2. Cognitive Aspects: Greed also involves cognitive processes, such as valuation, judgment, and decision-making. It includes the way individuals think about their needs, entitlements, and the means of achieving their desires. Greed can influence how individuals evaluate their current status versus their aspirations, leading to a continuous pursuit of more.

Greed is often discussed in the context of its effects on behavior and decision-making, where it can drive individuals to act in self-interested ways that disregard the well-being of others. It is seen as a motivator that can lead to unethical behavior, excessive risk-taking, and, in extreme cases, to social and economic harm.

Thus, greed is a multifaceted concept that embodies both how we feel and how we think about our desires and the pursuit of material or status gains. Its manifestation is influenced by a variety of personal, cultural, and situational factors, making it a complex phenomenon that intersects with various aspects of human psychology.

Are low EQ people more greedy than high EQ people?

ChatGPT:

There isn't a straightforward answer to whether low EQ individuals are more greedy than those with high EQ, as greed is a complex trait influenced by many factors beyond emotional intelligence (EQ). However, understanding the components of EQ can provide insights into how it might relate to behaviors associated with greed.

Emotional intelligence includes the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and use one’s own emotions positively and to understand and influence the emotions of others. High EQ involves empathy, social skills, self-awareness, and self-regulation, among other qualities. Here's how these components might theoretically relate to greed:

1. Empathy: High EQ individuals tend to have higher levels of empathy, meaning they can understand and share the feelings of others. This could theoretically make them less likely to engage in greedy behavior if such behavior would harm others.

2. Social Skills: People with high EQ usually have better social skills and are more attuned to the norms and expectations of their social group, which might include valuing generosity or disapproving of greed.

3. Self-awareness: High EQ includes being aware of one’s own emotions and motivations. Individuals with high EQ might be more aware of their desires for material gain and might better understand the implications of those desires, potentially moderating greedy impulses.

4. Self-regulation: This component of EQ involves managing one’s emotions and impulses. People with high EQ are generally better at controlling impulsive behavior, which could include impulses toward greed.

However, it's important to recognize that greed is influenced by a range of factors, including personal values, cultural influences, upbringing, and individual circumstances. While someone with high EQ might have better tools for managing their desires and impulses, including those that could lead to greedy behavior, EQ alone does not determine one's level of greed.

Additionally, people with lower EQ might still have strong moral principles or other factors that discourage greedy behavior. Therefore, while there might be some theoretical connections between EQ and behaviors associated with greed, it's overly simplistic to assert a direct correlation between low EQ and higher levels of greed across all individuals.

How can we eradicate the greed instinct in humans?

ChatGPT

Eradicating greed entirely may be unrealistic given its deep roots in human psychology and its ties to survival instincts. Greed, in its basic form, can be seen as an extreme desire for resources, which historically might have helped ensure survival in uncertain conditions. However, in modern society, unchecked greed can lead to negative outcomes such as inequality, environmental degradation, and social unrest. While completely eradicating greed might not be feasible, there are ways to mitigate its more harmful expressions:

1. Cultivating Empathy: Encouraging empathy and understanding towards others can reduce selfish behaviors and promote a sense of community and shared well-being. Educational systems and parenting strategies that emphasize empathy, compassion, and the importance of helping others can contribute to this.

2. Promoting Ethical Values: Instilling ethical values from a young age, through education, family, and social institutions, can help individuals prioritize fairness, honesty, and generosity over personal gain.

3. Fostering Contentment: Encouraging a culture that values contentment and personal fulfillment over material success can help reduce the drive for excessive accumulation. This can involve highlighting the importance of experiences, relationships, and personal growth.

4. Economic and Social Policies: Implementing policies that address inequality and provide for basic needs can reduce the desperation that sometimes fuels greed. Social safety nets, progressive taxation, and regulations that prevent exploitative practices can contribute to a more equitable society.

5. Community and Social Engagement: Involvement in community activities and social causes can shift focus from individual gain to collective well-being and satisfaction derived from contributing to the greater good.

6. Mindfulness and Self-reflection: Practices that promote mindfulness and self-reflection can help individuals recognize and manage their desires. This can lead to a better understanding of what truly brings happiness and fulfillment, reducing the constant pursuit of more.

7. Role Models and Leadership: Public figures and leaders who exemplify non-greedy behavior and prioritize the common good can inspire others to adopt similar values.

It's important to note that these strategies aim to balance human desires and needs rather than suppress them entirely. Moderating greed involves cultivating a society where individuals can pursue personal goals without compromising the well-being of others or the planet.

Is there a medication that can make people not feel greed or turn off the instinct to have more than they need?

ChatGPT

As of my last update, there is no medication specifically designed to "turn off" greed or eliminate the desire to have more than one's needs. Greed, as a complex psychological and social phenomenon, involves various aspects of human emotion, cognition, and behavior that are not easily altered by medication.

The desire for more than one needs can be influenced by a multitude of factors, including psychological traits, societal values, upbringing, and situational contexts. Because these factors are deeply interwoven into human behavior and social structures, addressing greed or excessive desire through medication alone oversimplifies the issue.

However, certain psychological conditions characterized by impulsivity, compulsivity, or difficulty with emotional regulation might contribute to behaviors that could be perceived as greedy. In such cases, medications used to treat underlying conditions—such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or impulse control disorders—might indirectly affect behaviors associated with greed. These medications could include antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or antipsychotics, depending on the individual's diagnosis.

Additionally, therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can help individuals understand and modify thought patterns and behaviors associated with excessive desires or greed. Strategies focusing on mindfulness, empathy development, and value clarification can also be beneficial.

Ultimately, addressing the root causes of greed and cultivating values of contentment, empathy, and generosity through education, societal norms, and personal reflection is likely to be more effective than seeking a pharmacological solution to curb the desire for excess.

Can a person be addicted to hurting others to feel powerful?

ChatGPT

Yes, it is possible for individuals to develop patterns of behavior where they seek to hurt others as a means to feel powerful, in control, or to gain some form of gratification. This type of behavior can be seen in various contexts, ranging from bullying and abusive relationships to more extreme criminal acts. While not classified as an addiction in the same way substance use disorders are, this behavior can exhibit addiction-like characteristics, such as compulsion, continuation despite negative consequences, and a cyclical pattern of escalation.

This behavior can stem from a complex interplay of psychological, social, and possibly biological factors, including:

1. Power Dynamics: Seeking to exert power over others can be a way to compensate for feelings of powerlessness, inadequacy, or insecurity in other areas of life.

2. Learned Behavior: Individuals may learn this behavior from their environment. If they have experienced or witnessed abuse, they might come to view such behavior as an acceptable or effective way to assert dominance or control.

3. Psychological Issues: Underlying psychological issues, such as personality disorders (e.g., antisocial personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder), can contribute to a lack of empathy and an increased likelihood of exploiting or harming others to achieve personal gains or satisfaction.

4. Emotional Gratification: Some individuals might derive emotional gratification from seeing others in pain or from the sense of control it gives them. This gratification can create a cycle where the behavior is repeated to achieve the same feeling.

5. Social and Cultural Factors: Societal norms and cultural factors can also play a role, especially in contexts where aggression or dominance is glorified or rewarded.

Addressing such behavior often requires a multi-faceted approach, including psychological therapy to address underlying issues, develop empathy, and learn healthier ways of interacting with others. Therapy might involve individual counseling, group therapy, or specialized programs aimed at understanding and modifying harmful behaviors. In severe cases, intervention from legal or social services might be necessary to protect others from harm.

It's important to recognize the seriousness of this issue and the potential harm to both the individuals engaging in such behaviors and their victims. Seeking professional help is crucial for anyone struggling with patterns of behavior centered around harming others for personal gratification or a sense of power.

What makes you feel safer to have? Empathy or Power?

For me, I feel safer having power. Empathy is vulnerable openness.

What makes you feel safer for others to have more than you have? Empathy or Power?

I definitely wish everyone had empathy and do not feel safe when others have power over me since oftentimes they've abused their power for selfish gains.

Empathy had been my first choice after my initial reaction to this philosophical question, but I struggled with it for a couple of days afterward since I couldn't figure out why exactly this was the better choice other than it just being a very strong moral gut feeling that I had.

There's real empathy and the imaginary kind. Here's my reasoning for choosing real empathy over power. I'm going to explain it through a story so pardon my philosophy. It would take far too long to write out a philosophical answer to this hypothetical question which I believe to be the cause of a lack of real empathy in humans as well as animals.

Power equals survival, in this world at least. We need and crave power to survive. It's an instinct and a greedy one at best. Enough of that for now.

Here goes the story…

Dio G.

Once upon a time there lived a pet detective. She was a very kind and compassionate woman, but like most humans was unable to fully connect with another animal’s mind.

She couldn't speak dog or cat language. She could feel love for a pet if you could call attachment love. Mostly what she got out of her relationships with her pets was an unconditional love from them and that's what got her in the pet detective business to begin with.

She had the power to care for them, to keep them alive, but she wasn't able to feel what they felt or sensed what they sensed. Real empathy requires that you connect fully and understand the others perceptions through sharing their emotions.

Her abilities to understand how her pets were feeling or what they were sensing were strictly cognitive and analytical. When her dogs tracked missing cats that were hiding, she followed their lead, never actually smelling what they had been smelling. She observed like a scientist and was able to find lost cats based on following the dog trackers from a detached point of view.

Eventually her dogs mated and gave birth to five puppies, all of them with special abilities to locate missing pets who were being kept or had been hiding in the most unusual of places. They had the perfect temperaments for the special new job soon to be at hand.

The puppies were to be her treasured MIA pet tracker dogs, unparalleled and unprecedented like no other FBI bloodhound before them.

Then one night the mother dog began crying, worrying about her eight week old pups for no reason. The pet detective was annoyed to hear her wimper and whine for what at the time appeared to be no reason.

The pet detective had the power to take them to the veterinarian to have them checked out. This only made the mother dog more anxious and made her cry at night even more than before.

The mother dog would not sleep and kept trying to wake up the pet detective all hours of the night.

The pet detective had the power to ignore her incessant cries though. She blocked out the noise and shut the door so she didn't have to hear her crying for what seemed to be no reason. They were all well fed and had a roof over their heads.

Then one day she woke up and her house was on fire. There was a cord which was frayed behind the dresser in a room where the puppies were being kept. One night the cord caught on fire and by the time the pet detective woke up it was too late.

Had she been able to truly empathize, she would of known why the mother dog was worried and what she'd been trying to say.

If only she could feel the mother dog's worries, she would of had the power to save them all.

After the tragedy, the pet detective discovered a way to read a dog's mind. She got a new dog. And with this new dog and new ability, she still wasn't able to feel or sense the same things through empathy, but she could read the dog’s cues like a book. Oftentimes she'd dismiss concerns her dog had as false alarms.

It was this gap in empathy that made it impossible for her to share her dog’s precognitive sense. She didn't believe in precognition or the ability to have special foresight. Her power was limited to what she was capable of having within herself only.

The power of the dog combined with the power of the pet detective could only be shared through empathy. And since she wasn't able to truly empathize, her recovery rate for lost or stolen pets was only 40%.

It's a fact that a cobra snake can sense an earthquake coming days before it arrives. Dogs have similar abilities that human won't share. Not because they can't, but because they won't allow it. To empathize means you have to feel and experience the world as another.

We have to first surrender our power and control that we have over ourselves and give it to another in order to share each other's consciousness. You must become the dog or the snake and lose yourself at least for a little while.

To go back and forth between altered states of consciousness is schizophrenic. Who wants to be schizophrenic?

Empathy can make us crazy or allow us to share our minds and hearts with others. To have empathy you must trust that you can return to yourself as an individual and not be transformed into part dog or part snake. You have to go back and forth between everyone like a ghost.

I'd love to have this ability much moreso than a generic power. What is power? Is it just control over other's fears? Seems like a dickhead fantasy. Power to the people comes from empathy but power over people is just power.

We can't truly love without having empathy. I wouldn't give that up in exchange to have power. A dog will love you even if you are homeless. He'd sooner let you eat him than leave you as long as there was love.

Cats are another story though…