Empathy — I won’t be so pedantic to break down the word, but it stems from the Greek word “pathos” that can be loosely translated as “suffering” or “emotion.”
As a nation, there’s been a boat-load of pathos-based commentary since the COVID-19 pandemic descended upon us, and while we’ve certainly seen some of the best sides of humanity throughout this crisis, the inability to contain it seems to boil down to a discernible lack of the same damn thing.
Empathy.
I teach English for a living, and when it comes to teaching literature, hopefully, you’re not teaching themes or symbols. Idealistically, you’re trying to teach your students to learn empathy through the text. You want them to understand that there is something essential about our shared human condition. In short, our civilization depends on it.
Fast-forward to 2020.
Then you have businesses that serve the general public, and they know that an employee has contracted an extremely infectious and potentially deadly virus, yet they fail to report it to their customers, employees or — in some cases — the parents of employees who are minors. These people have failed to practice empathy and decency.
In other words, their bottom line — how much cash flow comes through the restaurant — is more important than the health and safety of the workers and patrons who pay their bills.
That, simply said, is deplorable and shameful. Said businesses should be criminally prosecuted, aside from their moral repugnance.
Granted, a more cohesive plan from the government — more strict regulations to protect citizens — would be helpful, but it doesn’t excuse businesses from an essential ethical obligation.
Reciprocally, there’s a lot of debate about re-opening schools, and certainly no parent or teacher or students wants to return to remote learning. And, statistically, even if the virus were contracted, there would be few, if any, fatalities.
But if there was a chance that one of the .002 percent of the people who might die from the virus were your child, your spouse or your parent, would you still be willing to roll the dice?
The answer requires empathy.
The truth is that we’re not returning to any sense of normalcy until there’s a vaccine to combat this bitch called COVID-19, and even then it will take time — and a concerted effort from the federal government — to assure everyone is inoculated.
Until then, our best defense is empathy and compassion and looking out for each other. The cynic in me says this is impossible; the romantic hopes this isn’t the case.
Empathy, everyone. Our situation commands it.
