Empathy

According to Simon Baron-Cohen's sixty question Empathy Quotient instrument, I am on the lower end of having an above average ability to be empathetic. I do believe that these findings are very close if not correct for my empathy. I tend to think that I am slightly more empathetic than most which I feel like has developed throughout my life experiences. I do believe that empathy can be taught because a baby is not born with all of their attributes. Occurrences and things they are taught are what structures them into the person that they become. I feel like someone in my life who exemplifies empathy is my mom. She is very caring and compassionate and will try to see everyone’s point of view even if she doesn’t agree with them. She listens to others and can tell how they feel. She is also able to work cohesively with many different types of other people. On the other end of the spectrum, one of my friends is not very empathetic. She does not connect with many others or try to see things from others’ points of view. She is rather judgmental and does not work well with others. I feel like we are really close friends and balance each other out because she isn’t empathetic, but I am overly empathetic. Opposites attract don’t they?