A Rumor of Empathy

07/24/2026

Empathy lesson: Take the other person as your empathy trainer

As an exercise, consider that the other person is one’s empathy trainer. The other individual calls forth one’s empathy. If the Other behaves in a challenging way, the challenge is to one’s empathy. If the other person is in an emotional meltdown, the challenge is to one’s empathic receptivity. If the other person is a conformist, the challenge is to one’s empathic understanding. ...

As an exercise, consider that the other person is one’s empathy trainer. The other individual calls forth one’s empathy. If the Other behaves in a challenging way, the challenge is to one’s empathy…

07/15/2026

Empathy SELLS – but empathy’s limitations sell even better

Empathy sells - but empathy's limitations sell even better. One can always make a splash by throwing a rotten tomato and some are being thrown at empathy. Find out the source of the resistance to empathy and how to address and answer it here. Not to be missed!...

Empathy sells – but empathy’s limitations sell even better. One can always make a splash by throwing a rotten tomato and some are being thrown at empathy. Find out the source of the res…

07/14/2026

Empathy sells; empathy’s limitations sell even better

But if empathy still sells, its limitations sell even better. The latest trend is to denounce empathy as a weakness and a danger to western civilization. What's with that? How to answer the anti-empathy critics aidrectly and powerfully. Find out here....

But if empathy still sells, its limitations sell even better. The latest trend is to denounce empathy as a weakness and a danger to western civilization. What’s with that? How to answer the a…

07/02/2026

“Empathy is hard” is different than hard empathy

The distinction between Hard Empathy and Soft Empathy needs to be better known. Soft empathy does not work with bullies, psychopaths, and the criminally insane; which are difficult individuals where Hard Empathy can make a difference. The innovation proposed here is to think of empathy, like so many things these days, as existing on a spectrum between empathy as “empathic listening” and empathy as “tough love.” A rigorous and critical empathy includes both options, which map to the difference between “soft empathy” and “hard empathy,” and a sliding scale of possibilities in-between....

The distinction between Hard Empathy and Soft Empathy needs to be better known. Soft empathy does not work with bullies, psychopaths, and the criminally insane; which are difficult individuals wher…

05/22/2026

Suicidal Empathy is Back in the News: Here is some “Tough Love” For Advocates of the Idea

Suicidal empathy is back in the news and deserves to be put in its proper place. Empathy exists on a spectrum between empathic kindness and "tough love". This post contains some of each—but mostly tough love—for the anti-empathy skeptics. The fallacy of those who debunk empathy as kindness to the absurd point of su***de is to try to force a choice between kindness and survival....

Suicidal empathy is back in the news and deserves to be put in its proper place. Empathy exists on a spectrum between empathic kindness and “tough love”. This post contains some of each…

01/20/2026

Top ten trends in empathy for 2026 including automated (AI) empathy, suicidal empathy (say what!?), rhetorical empathy, empathy and reading and more! For example: The trend of bringing large language models to empathy and empathic relatedness is a game changer. Can AI tell the difference between empathy and stroking your ego ("servile flattery")? Doubtful. Image credit: EmpathyLab.uk. Read the complete blog post: https://louagosta.com/2026/01/16/top-ten-empathy-trends-in-2026/

01/16/2026

Top Trends in Empathy for 2026

The trend of bringing large language models to empathy and empathic relatedness is a game changer. The question is not whether the generative AI can be empathic, but the extent to which the designers are able to distinguish responsiveness from “stroking one’s ego,” sycophancy (servile flattery), and the extent to which prospective clients decide to engage (both open questions at this date (Q1 2026)). ...

The trend of bringing large language models to empathy and empathic relatedness is a game changer. The question is not whether the generative AI can be empathic, but the extent to which the designe…

12/30/2025

Join me, Lou Agosta, and a group of empathy thought leaders, evangelists, trainers, and enthusiasts for an online summit on expanding empathy
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Empathy Summit: Expanding Empathy in the Year Ahead: Jan 3, 2026 online -
EMPATHY SUMMIT:
How Might We Build the Empathy Movement?
see https://www.empathysummit.com/dates/jan-3-2026-movement
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Time: 9 am PT to 12:30 pm PT - World Times
Location: Zoom https://zoom.us/j/9896109339

11/06/2025

I saw an educational ad today: “Empathy can't be automated” Made me think: The obvious, question is “Well, can you?” Pros and cons...Read the complete post at https://louagosta.com/2025/11/04/automating-empathy-issues-and-answers/

11/04/2025

I saw an ad today - Empathy can't be automated. The obvious question is - well, can it? Turns out to be a trick question - my intuition is that empathy cannot be automated, but perhaps keys aspects of empathy can be simulated. Does this result in fake empathy? And how does it make a difference? Read the complete post at www.EmpathyLessons.com

http://empathylessons.com/2025/11/04/automating-empathy-issues-and-answers/

I saw an advertisement today: “Empathy can’t be automated” Made me think: What is the evidence pro and con? The obvious question is “Well, can you?” The debate is joined. This turns out to be a tr…