Let’s face it, words really do matter. So do definitions, yet it seems like re-defining words to suit select needs is becoming all too common. When I heard that the concept of empathy was created by New Age thinkers, it crossed a line for me into the absurd. It has even been suggested to me that empathy is earned, rather than given.

Empathy means trying to see things from another person’s perspective to better understand their thoughts or feelings. Empathy is given, not earned. It is a choice. It is something that speaks about the giver, not the receiver.

New Age describes the era spanning the 1970s and 1980s. This was the dwindling days of the Viet Nam war, Woodstock, peace symbols, and, yes, the arrival of a lot of mind-altering drugs. What it was not was the birth of empathy.

Not everyone is able to feel empathy. For example, it is not uncommon for people with ADHD to struggle with the concept. A person in pain, whether from illness or injury, will be more self-focused, at least temporarily. There are also times a person may withhold offering empathy for a variety of reasons.

If you’d like to learn more about either term—or anything else, check out Wikipedia or Google or, maybe even drag out an old copy of Webster instead of counting on social media for facts.