Conceptualizing the Self, Empathizing with Others - Essay Example

?Conceptualizing the Self, Empathizing with Others When people think about empathy, the tendency is always to focus on the external factors that prompt the individual to react. When a human being feels compassion for another, it is usually the condition of the subject that is highlighted and not the internal dynamics of the person that felt. Even the person who is being compassionate would often attribute his reactions to what he observes. There are instances though than an individual would acknowledge that his reaction to the plight of others is not just triggered by their condition but also by the recognition of the self. While only a few could indeed achieve such level of appreciation, this happens to be the most accurate description of the grounds for empathy. When a person empathizes, he does not just react to what he sees. His empathy is always based on the concept of the self. In treating others, a selfless individual can have a different approach to one who has even the slightest selfish tendencies. Such difference could still be identifiable despite the fact that they are confronted with the same objective condition of the others. Robert Thurman’s Wisdom clarifies this point by citing the experience while engaging in Buddhist meditation. Thurman asserts that genuine empathy requires selflessness. Juhani Pallasmaa, on the other hand, articulates that in order to make a connection with his environment, man must use all his senses more. In his Architecture and the Senses, he explains that senses play a key role in the human being’s correct appreciation of the situations he is confronted with. Empathy, however, is not just used on fellow human beings but also with the other species. Charles Siebert’s An Elephant Crackup focuses on this. At the same time, it also gives insights on how human insensitivity could lead to discord not just with the other species but with themselves. All the three articles, despite the different points of departure, agree on one thing though; for man to develop genuine empathy, he should ignore concepts regarding the primacy of the self. Man is not intrinsically insensitive. There are individuals that that have been labeled as such because of their seeming failure to recognize the conditions of other. They do not react to the demands or pleas of others that their situations be considered and that their needs are met. Because of the absence of any reaction, positive or otherwise, the idea immediately developed by observers is that such persons do not see them at all. The truth, however, is that as long as human beings have the faculties or the five senses working, it is impossible for one to be insensitive. However, the senses can only do so much. If the mindset can actually disregard the senses, then whatever it is that can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled, and heard would be immaterial. It is when this occurs that one would also be unable to connect or to empathize with others. According to Robert Thurman, “you cannot disappear into your own blissful void, because you are part of everyone and they are part of you…if you have no ultimate self, that makes you free to be your relative self, along with other beings” (463). When an individual is consumed by his own mindset, he tends to lose his connection with the real world and he detaches himself not just from the people that surrounds him but also from himself. This is because is himself a product of reality. However, to fully grasp the essence of self and appreciate its connection to others has become difficult to do, especially now that technology has made it possible for the individual to work, study, and have leisure without the company of others. This is what Pallasmaa points out when writes that “the growing experiences of alienation, detachment, and solitude in the technological world today, for instance, may be related with a certain pathology of the sense” (284). Man’s appreciation of reality has increasing become dependent on what he sees on TV or on the movies, or on what he reads and views while browsing the internet. Obviously, one does not use all the senses while using such mediums. It is only the sense of sight and hearing that are used. Human beings have senses that can be used to ascertain the situations of others, a necessary process before empathy develops. However, even with these senses, one can still be insensitive if wills to ignore others. The mind and how it works is often considered as the determinant of the individuality of a person. This is because it is not just how one appears that distinguishes him from the rest but also how he thinks of things, of people, or of events. However, the mind is also the creation of circumstances. If there have been no ideas that are developed and stored there, it would be nothing but a mass of tissue located inside a human being’s head. However, as one uses his senses, he would be able to absorb what he observes and experiences and develop ideas and these shape the mind. In his criticism of some architectural works, Pallasmaa states that “the inhumanity of contemporary architecture and cities can be understood as the consequence of the negligence of the body and the senses, and an imbalance in our sensory system” (284). This is basically the same when it comes to the treatment of other individuals. When one does not use his senses, he could only be trapped in his own make-believe world and it would be impossible to develop empathy to others. It is clear that the mind can never be considered as beyond what is sensory. It is in fact, dependent on the senses. Siebert explains that “that the mind is not an entity apart from the body and therefore just as woundable as any limb” (331). This means that that man’s way of thinking is affected by whatever he sees, touches, tastes, hears, and smells. It feels pain and sadness, anger and discontent, bliss and happiness. To be empathic, there is a need for such senses to be employed. The failure use such senses, such as closing the eyes or clasping the ears in order not to see and hear would naturally leave one to recognize reality as one that is only based on what he feels. His mindset would consequently be selfish and this would eventually lead him to a condition where he feels no empathy to others at all. Senses make up the mind, and the mind develops empathy. Under such logic, it is obvious that without the use of the senses, empathy is impossible. Using the senses in order to observe actual conditions is not the problem. Since birth, an individual is already expected to develop his ability to make use of his senses and, in some cases, even beyond the ordinary. The reason why there are individuals who could not empathize is because they wish not to. Even if they have the faculties needed to appreciate the conditions of others and to feel for them, if they decide to ignore what their senses actually tell them, it would be impossible for empathy to develop. Ignoring is obviously pretending that reality does not exist or that another condition is present in lieu of what is really there. Thurman points out that “when we pretend, we focus our attention on appearing to be right no matter what the reality, we distract ourselves from being awake to what really is going on, and so place ourselves at a disempowering disadvantage”(465). Indeed, when an individual decides to ignore reality and to pretend that another exists deprives the others of an advantage. It is under these circumstances also that relationships among humans turn for the worse. When every individual develops his own understanding of reality that is actually not based on what the senses could actually perceive, walls of indifference would naturally be built. This occurs basically because of the tendency of people to focus only on their selves. Siebert articulates that “while our concern may ultimately be rooted in that most human of impulses - the preservation of our own self-image - the great paradox about this particular moment in our history with elephants is that saving them will require finally getting past ourselves; it will demand the ultimate act of deep, interspecies empathy” (331). This point is in reference to the insensitivity of humans towards the other species, such as elephants. However, the principle behind this statement can also be applied in observing how humans relate with each other. It is clear that when individuals begin to think only of themselves, denying what is actually happening around them, as perceived by senses, they would not be able to feel what others feel. They would not react in a positive manner according to the expectations of those who would have wanted help or charity. It is clear that that self-conceptualization is a major factor for one to feel empathy towards others. For empathy to be developed, it is very important that one first considers himself to be absolutely related to his environment. After all, every individual is a product of his environment and not just a result of his own self-proclaimed identity. However, despite of the fact that the senses are the means of defining objectivity, an individual can decide to shun it and content himself with the unreal. This happens because one can be selfish instead of being selfless. Pallasmaa explained the importance of the senses for one to fully grasp reality and to determine the best reactions for it. However, as pointed out already, while the senses play a major part in conceptualizing the self, the mind can work otherwise and ignore these instead. This is what Thurman managed to articulate well in Wisdom. The problem here is that when the mind begins to detach itself from the reality, it begins to focus only on self-interests and denies the fact that there are others too who can be affected negatively or positively for the resulting action or inaction. Siebert discussed what precisely the effects of the selfishness of the human species on animals are. Indeed, unless one uses the senses and develops a mindset based only on these, empathy could hardly evolve. The concept of the self would remain one that is basically selfish and ignores the needs or feelings of others. Obviously, such tendencies should be avoided as much as possible. Otherwise, healthy relationships among individuals would be destroyed at the basic or smaller scale. However, on larger or social scale, it could result to contradictions that could ripen into violent antagonisms. In fact, the tendency to ignore others and to dwell only on self-interests as a nation could result to wars. Works Cited Pallasmaa, Juhani. “Architecture and the Senses.” The New Humanities Reader. Siebert, Charles. “An Elephant Crackup?” The New Humanities Reader. Thurman, Robert. “Wisdom.” The New Humanities Reader. Read More