#empathynotsympathy

[scottiedee]

Goodnight beautiful people 🕉💖🧡🤍💜❤🤎💛💙🖤💚🕉 . . . . . #empathy #empathynotsympathy #openminded #perspective #perception #inspiration #calm #dailycalm #yyc #meditation #Love https://www.instagram.com/p/CCxcZVCpvS_/?igshid=193u3ne5cfbx7

[childrensliteratureworld-blog]

El Deafo || empathy > sympathy

El Deafo by Cece Bell, is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel in which a rabbit form of the author struggles balancing her childhood with her inability to hear. There are a plethora of extremely valuable and life-changing themes that are manifested through this work. One of the most prevalent is the books endeavor to turn the reader into a being of empathy, rather than sympathy.  

Cece is a dynamic character who changes throughout the story from being ashamed of her deafness to being able to recognize her difference as her own superpower. At the beginning of the novel, we walk with Cece as she moves and begins school in a new town with a new huge hearing device she must wear. Cece is so worried about what her classmates will think of her and does everything she can to stay unnoticed. The author’s soft illustration style contrasted with bold, black borders around everything helps the viewer stay focused and also feel automatically drawn to the pages and pictures. In just the first 20 pages, it is hard not to feel an emotional connection to little Cece. I believe the illustration style is a huge contributor to this. Her use of simple lines creates a softness and childlike imaginative setting. Illustration is a huge factor in telling this story, as it is a graphic novel. Without the pictures, I don’t believe Cece’s themes would be revealed in such a perfect and beautiful manner.

For me, one of the most important pages in the book was when Dorn tries to teach her how to lip-read. In the center of the page are four up close profiles that distinguish what someone is saying by only the shape of their lips. There is so much variation through this, however, that even those four simple lip shapes could be saying multiple different words. Looking at this made me immediately imagine just how hard and exhausting it would have to be to rely on this inconsistent means to communicate. Even an everyday question like asking a stranger for directions might seem completely impossible if the only way to the answer was deciphering the puzzle of lip reading. After reading this page, I was even inspired to do more research on the difficulties of lip reading and was redirected to the youtube video,” What it’s like to read lips” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1jLkYyODsc. I was extremely pleased when we ended class watching this same video, as well. In no way does this page make me, a reader look down upon or feel sad for Cece (sympathetic), but instead, it enforces empathy and a desire to learn more and try to understand her battles as best as we can. The page doesn’t end with Cece feeling sorry for herself, but her proudly stating “I’m Ready”.

Through the path of empathy we are able to connect to the universe in a way unlike any other. By understanding or trying to understand other human struggles, we open a door to new forms of communicating. By practicing and developing empathy as humans, I firmly believe kindness and acceptance will radiate out of us at high frequency, and others intune to this frequency can sense this. It is primarily through literature, works of art, and experiences that we are exposed to the value of empathy. Cece Bell’s El Deafo is an excellent example of a pathway to empathy and should be a piece of art celebrated and read by all.

Melissa Mikos (Blog Post #11.3 15 April 2017)

Bell, C. (2014). El deafo. New York, NY: Abrams Books.

[tonyamckenziepr]

I'm not sure that some of you know the difference. #PITY isn't the goal. #ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & #UNDERSTANDING may be uncomfortable but progressive. TRY IT! #empathyNOTsympathy

[sybellabellamy-blog]

empathy-notsympathy replied to your post:[pm] Sybella Bellamy? I was given your name by...

[pm] Marley Spitzer. The empath detective. [d: /Wow/ that felt nice to just sa]

[pm] Ah yes, Millie mentioned you to me as well. Lovely to hear from you. I must admit, I was quite curious about you, it’s not every day you meet an empath.

[sarcasticwarden-blog]

@empathy-notsympathy replied to your post:[pm] You're a dead man.

[pm] If you’re not careful you’re likely to make that scream a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[pm] God, even when you’re trying to intimidate me, you’re just boring. Blah blah blah, you’re gonna die, blah blah... you get the point. Kindly fuck off.

[problematicexorcist]

empathy-notsympathyreplied to your post: If anyone sees a tall, probably well dressed man,...

Family troubles?

Something like that, yeah. Only trouble is that he won’t leave me the hell alone.

[jeff-the-fairy-blog]

empathy-notsympathy

Are you hands bound? That’s usually a good sign of having been kidnapped.

Let me ask my friend god fuck it No, my hands are free to type this blog post.

[scottiedee]

Goodnight beautiful people 🕉💖💜💙🖤🧡❤💚🕉 . . . . . .... #empathynotsympathy #goodnight #sweetdreams #sleeptight #dailymeditation #meditation #inspiration #calm #dailycalm #beherenow #awareness #presence #holdingspace #empathy #idontknowwhattosaybutthankyoufortellingme #yycintuitive #yycspirituality #yyc #yycreikimaster #yycinspiration https://www.instagram.com/p/BzFMbB9ha4x/?igshid=j1j9z95m52nn

[paranoidperry-blog]

empathy-notsympathy replied to your post:Give me five reasons to believe you're not a...

But a theory’s only a theory until proven right or wrong.

Do you wish to cause me bodily harm, is that what you’re getting at? Or perhaps simply sparking up a friendly debate, because that would be appreciated. You are correct but I like having all of my blood inside of my body. I’m quite fond of it.

[sourcingourlight]

Just a listening ear and a heart that sees my pain = healing. Empathy is sweet medicine. . . . #imhereforyou . #compassion #selfcompassion #nvc #nonviolentcommunication #marshallrosenberg #holistichealth #communicationskills #empathynotsympathy #hypnotherapy #itsnotaboutyou #unconditionallove #human #instafollow #selflove #psychology #mentalhealth #loveispatient #selfrespect #feels #gratitude #sourcingourlight #empathy #selfempathy #compassionatecommunication (at Santa Ana, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buad530hEqZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=g3wlov32hb0l

[jeff-the-fairy-blog]

empathy-notsympathy

Ashkent never fails to intrigue.

Yeah. Neither do its citizens.

[problematicexorcist]

empathy-notsympathy replied to your post: How does it feel knowing you can't love anyone...

I [d: wholeheartedly] agree.

Funny how we see eye to eye on things like that. Just never really got the point in measuring emotions. It’s pointless and idiotic. 

[jeff-the-fairy-blog]

A Night on the Town || Marley and Jeff

Jeff wasn’t quite sure what he expected at first. In retrospect, he supposed he shouldn’t have been all that surprised about the strangeness of Ashkent Creek. (after all, he did move there in a desperate bid to find not-quite-people to explain to him what the fuck his life had turned into.) Still, something about the casual way its citizens spoke about blood rain and purple lizards gave him pause. He started to look over his shoulder more on the short walk from the bar to his bike, moved a little faster through the dark, and always kept his pocket knife within reach. And yes, maybe he was being too cautious…

But maybe more things went bump in the night than he had originally anticipated.

Regardless, he was here for answers, and answers he would get. Endless google searching hadn’t given Jeff much to go on and his father had been buried only a month ago. A trip to the library might be in order…

First, however, he needed to know his terrain a bit better. With a quick nod to Miranda, he slipped out from behind the bar, crossed to an empty table near the door, and sat down to wait for his unofficial tour guide.

[jeff-the-fairy-blog]

empathy-notsympathy

Some people think it charming.

Yeah, well, some people also eat laundry detergent because they genuinely like the taste, so forgive me for being a little cautious.

[problematicexorcist]

empathy-notsympathy replied to your post: To whoever crammed an entire sub sandwich into the...

That’s a new one.

Definitely one of the weirdest things that’s ever been shoved in there, that’s for sure.