Thursday 8 September 2011

My Jedi Mind Powers

I am reading a book called the Power of Empathy by Arthur P Ciaramicoli.  

It's not a bad "read", actually, for a self-help book.  It's free from a lot of the trite aphorisms of other self-help texts, partly because it argues that a key part of empathy is recognising and respecting other people's individuality - so it couldn't very well start generalising about the human condition, I suppose.

I am reading about empathy because I suffer an at times astonishing lack of it.  This, apparently, is a core hallmark of a psychopath, but I'm not letting that minor detail worry me.   Because I am going to CHANGE.  

Why?  

Because apparently we humans can use empathy to get stuff.  Awesome!  In the wrong hands, the power of empathy can be used for EVIL, mwa-ha-ha-HA!

Actually, though, I've known this for some time.

About five years ago I was at work the day before a national holiday.  At around 1.30pm the boss came over and was hovering around my desk like he wanted something but wasn't sure how to ask.  All I could think about was how hard I'd been working that day and wouldn't it be great to get away a little early for the holiday.

I looked my boss deep in the eye and said in a low, calm voice: "half day, everyone,"  holding his gaze for about two seconds before looking away.  Immediately, he turned silently away from me and addressed the wider team, announcing in exactly the same tone of voice: "half day, everyone."

Jedi mind powers, people!  You can only use them a few times in your life, so be sure to use your powers for Good - or at least to GET something good.  

Hmmm, maybe I've missed the point of the Power of Empathy.  Pardon me while I revisit Chapter 2...

1 comment:

  1. Alan wrote: "Funnily enough I read an article in New Scientist a while ago that suggested that evil is actually an extreme lack of empathy. Jedi mind powers? Yesterday someone called me from Plymouth city council telling me I owed them 29 pounds due to a systematic error. I said (showing no empathy whatsoever for her situation)surely she meant that the systematic error was in fact a human error, to which she then agreed. So what have we learned. Jedis have no empathy and I'm a bully"

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