Empathy

Many SAY they try to understand and/or tolerate others and their ways/ideas...a kind of "live and let live" approach. While this might be admirable, its often or usually a facade to cover an already decided judgment about these matters. In other words, this isn't an empathetic approach although it may appear to be on the surface.

Empathy (not to be confused with sympathy) involves trying to understand something or someone on their own terms...prior to judging. "On their own terms" refers mainly to the context/conditions in which something has developed and in which it has meaning. Any attempt to understand (no matter how well intended) following a judgment or decision will necessarily be skewed everytime...effectively negating this "understanding." (and is, in effect...the opposite of empathy).

To understand doesn't automatically imply agreement...although some kinds of logic maintain this. Empathy isn't wishy-washy, nor is it the tolerance of an "anything goes" perspective. Rather, it is a hard-nosed approach which is far more difficult to maintain than its reverse...ethnocentrism. Empathetic thinkers usually find that judgments are beside the point.