CMV: The feeling, and expressing of emotion is inherently selfish, "empathy" is impossible, and "empaths" are borderline narcissists.

The empathiser's desire is met by "empathising" with the other in order to feel good about them self for helping.

I think this statement is unfounded. Empathy encompasses negative emotions as well. A perhaps may feel empathetic anger, grief, sadness, ect without any corresponding resolution.

Empathy being a positive experience is not part of your view as originally stated. Even if we accept your premises, is it not a conclusion that follows from your argument.

You argue that a person seeks empathy because it is validating. In other words, when a person sees that the situation they are in invokes the similar emotions in other people as it does in themselves, they benefit.

If there are situations where empathy costs the person experiencing it and benefits the person it's directed towards, it cannot be fundamentally selfish.

/r/changemyview Thread Parent