Suffering As A Touchstone for Empathy

​The way you suffered (experienced pain or distress) can assist you to see the suffering of others around you.

This can have significant personal and social virtue, especially if you have healed some of your own pain BEFORE trying to help others.

This is not to be confused with Special Snowflake Syndrome (SSS) which is all about satisfying personal demands for special treatment, often claiming empathy for others but is in reality a form of hypersensitive self-importance.

To be aware of the legitimate suffering of others carries an attitude of gifting and service. Done badly it can look like martyr-posturing. Done well it’s about care, and these people are usually resilient, clear thinking and justice oriented in the truest sense.

In contrast SSS is narcissistic and ultimately self-oriented, caring primarily for their own concerns and interests.

Often politicising personal issues, people with SSS seldom hesitate in personalising attacks, and always personalise offence.

​You know an SSS is near because there is a sense of having to be careful not to offend them …cos they’re special and flaky. Guess which has the better mental health!