The term empathy comes from the Greek term “empatheia,” which literally translates as “in-feeling.” It is the ability to understand another person’s perspective and feelings, even if the culture or life circumstances are not necessarily shared. 

In short, empathy is placing one’s self in the position of another.

I’m a middle-aged caucasian woman, but I can empathize with young Black American men who are repeatedly targeted by law enforcement. I empathize with the plight of transgender youths and their parents in Texas where the governor urged the public to report parents of transgender youths receiving gender-affirming care of child abuse. Although I am way past the ability to get pregnant, I can empathize with young women who need abortion care but cannot afford to travel outside of those states where it’s been severely limited or outlawed.

Sadly, our nation is experiencing a severe shortage of empathy.

The lack of empathy characterized by our society, economy, and the government is nothing new, and the indifference to people of color, transgender and non-binary youth, the poor, “liberals,” and immigrants is on the rise. The increase in hate crimes, especially during the Trump administration, attests to this. According to an FBI report, hate-motivated murders, largely committed by white supremacists, hit a 28-year spike during the former guy’s term, and the greatest increases were directed at Black people, Jewish, gay men, and Hispanics.

During the first years of the pandemic, Anti-Asian violence surged in the US, and according to a 2021 Pew Research survey, 32% of Asian adults said they have feared being threatened or physically attacked, and 81% say violence against Asian Americans is on the rise. The anti-Asian sentiment was inflamed by a March 2020 tweet by then-President Trump that referred to Covid-19 as “the Chinese virus.” This led to anti-Asian hashtags on Twitter to rise rapidly, according to a University of California study. In the days before and after Trump’s tweet, the study looked at 700,000 tweets containing more than 1.2 million anti-Asian hashtags.

Far-right extremist groups whose core belief is that “white identity” is under siege by multicultural forces using social justice, and liberalism to undermine white people and their culture. Anti-abortion activists seek to protect the unborn rather than regulate assault weapons used to gun down school children. Conspiracy theorists, Qanoners, hate groups, and Christian nationalists are all fueled by fear, narcissism, and a lack of empathy for those “not like them.”

When the Supreme Court decided to reverse Roe v. Wade, they failed to put themselves in the shoes of a 10-year-old rape victim. When certain state legislators targeted LGBTQ youth, they were unable to put themselves in the place of a transwoman teen who wishes to play on the girl’s High School Volleyball team. When Trump tweeted about the “Chinese virus,” he gave not one thought to how degrading that was to Asians and Asian Americans. 

Contrary to far-right ideologies and scapegoating, no one is “cutting in line” or getting special treatment: Not blacks, Asians, liberals, immigrants, or LGBTQs. These groups are not a threat to anyone.

Put yourself in their shoes.