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Lynne Calkins's avatar

Really interting!

Well done, Leslie

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Lynne Calkins's avatar

Oops! A typo!

Meant to say, Really Interesting!

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Leslie Rasmussen's avatar

I was surprised at first and then it makes sense after you think more about it. There aren't many things that don't have possibilities for unexpected uses or abuses.

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Lynne Calkins's avatar

Nope. There's a down side to just about everything I can think of. Some worse than others.

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Maria Haka Flokos's avatar

Extremely interesting, raises questions I hadn't realized existed, regarding other versions of empathy, the non positive kind. It is very interesting to note that though the word is Greek, in current times in Greece it is used to signify the exact opposite, a hostile obsession with the other. The word that Greeks use to translate the English version into Greek is ensynaisthesis.

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Leslie Rasmussen's avatar

Hi Maria., that is so interesting. Wikipedia called it 'a technical term' to Stoic ethics--- variously translated as "appropriation," "orientation," "familiarization," "affinity," "affiliation,"and "endearment. I also saw one translation as 'self protection' which seemed to have extended beyond 'self' in declining importance. That is a bit closer to 'a hostile obsession.' I always wonder about the cultural changes that shift a word to its opposite.

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<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Fascinating, including the research.

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Leslie Rasmussen's avatar

It has been eyeopening. It is like learning there is another plane of reality, but I didn't have the right glasses on. Mine have always been a bit rose colored!

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