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- Are You Really Empathetic,
Hey there,
We all like to think we're
—posting the right hashtags, sharing the heartfelt posts. But are we really walking the walk? This week, I am cutting through the noise and calling out performative empathy. It’s time to face the uncomfortable truth: caring isn’t just about looking the part.
Dive into my latest piece and find out if you're truly making a difference—or just playing the part. ~RS
Empathy and Compassion: Are We Just Pretending to Care?
Introduction Let’s cut the fluff. Everyone likes to think they’re empathetic. Everyone likes to say they care. But let’s be real—how much of it is for show? In a world where a retweet counts as activism and a heart emoji is supposed to heal trauma, it’s time we take a hard look at what empathy and compassion really mean. Spoiler alert: it’s not what most people think.
The Illusion of Empathy We’ve all seen it—the performative empathy that floods social media every time something terrible happens. A celebrity posts a black square, someone writes a long-winded post about “thoughts and prayers,” and everyone applauds. Here’s the thing: empathy isn’t a spectator sport. You don’t get points for showing up with hashtags and sad-faced selfies.
Empathy means putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, but more than that, it means actually feeling their pain. Not just acknowledging it from a safe distance. When people share stories of police brutality or natural disasters, it’s not an opportunity to boost your online presence. Real empathy involves discomfort. It requires you to confront how you’ve been complicit, how you’ve stayed silent, how you benefit from a broken system.
Compassion Isn’t Convenient Compassion sounds pretty when it’s plastered on a coffee mug, but it’s ugly and raw when put into practice. Real compassion means giving up something—time, money, comfort. You can’t be compassionate when you’re only willing to help when it’s easy or convenient.
Take the refugee crisis, for instance. It’s easy to post a picture with #RefugeesWelcome, but what happens when a refugee family moves into your neighborhood? Real compassion would be welcoming them, helping them navigate an alien world, and understanding their trauma without feeling morally superior. Compassion isn’t just feeling sorry—it’s about active solidarity.
Modern Day Examples: Real vs. Fake
Real Empathy: A man in San Francisco spends his Saturdays helping homeless individuals write resumes. He doesn’t film it or post it on TikTok. He just does it because it matters.
Fake Empathy: Influencers who use tragedy to gain followers—whether it’s posing at a disaster site or sharing tearful monologues about issues they don’t actually work to change.
Real Compassion: A restaurant owner in New York City lets people in need eat for free, no questions asked, even when business is slow. That’s stepping up.
Fake Compassion: Corporations that slap a rainbow on their logo during Pride Month while lobbying against worker rights.
Stop Talking, Start Doing Empathy and compassion aren’t just feelings—they’re actions. They’re about sitting with uncomfortable truths, making sacrifices, and changing your behavior when you realize it’s hurting others. They’re about showing up when no one’s watching, when no one’s giving you credit, and when it doesn’t fit your aesthetic.
So, are you actually empathetic, or do you just want to look the part? Next time you’re about to post that heartfelt status or share a hashtag, ask yourself—what have you actually done to help? Because the world doesn’t need more talkers. It needs people who care enough to take action.
Don’t just feel—do. That’s where empathy and compassion start making a difference.~RS
📰 Political Chaos and Power Plays: This Week in U.S. Politics
Top National Stories
🌏 Trump Floats 80% China Tariff: President Trump suggested reducing his tariffs on Chinese imports to 80% as an alternative to the current 145% rate, signaling an attempt to deescalate the U.S.-China trade war ahead of high-level talks. This proposal comes as U.S. and Chinese negotiators meet in Geneva aiming to calm a trade dispute rattling global markets.
💰 Tax Cuts Scaled Back – Taxing the Rich: Trump said he is “OK” with raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans even as Republicans work on a massive tax-cut package. GOP leaders are considering trimming their $4.5 trillion plan, and sources say Trump privately urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to hike the top income tax rate to 39.6% for ultra-high earners and close loopholes for Wall Street.
🌊 House Renames ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to ‘Gulf of America’: The House of Representatives (211-206 vote) passed a bill to formally change the Gulf of Mexico’s name to the “Gulf of America,” following Trump’s executive order. The measure faces long odds in the Senate, where 60 votes would be needed (Republicans hold 53 seats). Firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sponsored the bill, aiming to cement Trump’s change in federal usage.
📺 Public Broadcasting Clash: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) filed a lawsuit to stop the White House from ousting three of its board members, arguing Trump has no authority over the congressionally chartered nonprofit. This comes after Trump signed an executive order to halt all federal funding for NPR and PBS, accusing them of bias, and directing CPB to cut off their funds.
🛑 Immigration Crackdown Hits Legal Wall: Federal courts intervened in two Trump immigration initiatives. In Boston, a judge ruled that deporting migrants to Libya without proper asylum screenings would violate a standing court order. In Texas, a judge (a Trump appointee) separately declared the administration’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to expel Venezuelan migrants “unlawful,” exceeding the law’s scope.
🌍 New Russia Sanctions in Limbo: U.S. officials readied a fresh package of Russia sanctions – targeting major energy and banking entities – to pressure Moscow amid the Ukraine war. However, it remains unclear if Trump will sign off on the sanctions, as his stance toward Russia has shifted from sympathetic to frustrated with President Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire.
🚶 May Day Protests Sweep Cities: Thousands of Americans marched in May 1st “May Day” rallies across multiple cities to denounce Trump’s immigration policies and demand respect for the rule of law. Organizers – including labor unions and immigrant rights groups – accused the administration of favoring billionaires over working families and warned that basic rights like healthcare are under threat.
Need To Know |
'Habemus Papam' Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church yesterday, becoming the first US citizen to hold the office. The 69-year-old (who is also a citizen of Peru) selected Leo XIV as his papal name—a nod toward the late 19th-century Pope Leo XIII, known for opening the church to modernity and emphasizing workers' rights. Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost joined the Augustinians in 1977, a missionary order dedicated to unity, harmony, and service. The order stationed Prevost in Peru in 1985, where he served for over a decade, later becoming its leader. In 2015, Pope Francis made Prevost bishop of the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, later naming him a cardinal and head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops (read bio). Prevost is seen as a centrist; see how his stances compare to Pope Francis’ pontificate here. Many world leaders applauded the election. A group of survivors of priestly sexual abuse demanded further investigation into allegations Prevost mishandled abusive priests under his watch. |
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