A decade ago, research showed a troubling dip in empathy. A new study provides more hope.
    • weariedfae@lemmy.worldEnglish
      33·
      7 months ago

      Same. My car was keyed this week and I’m 80% certain it was because I stood there next to my vehicle and put on a mask before going into the grocery store. The person in their car next to me was staring intently at me but I didn’t think much of it except to feel embarrassed someone was perceiving me. Came out after like 10 minutes and it was obviously keyed.

      I still wear a kn95 mask in public because I help out my 95 year old grandmother who is dying of cancer. She’s still in good spirits and we want her to die in her sleep, not gasping for breath because somebody gave her covid. Not that I should have to justify myself.

      But yeah. No. The assumption of “deep down people are mostly good” died with covid.

      • Pencilnoob@lemmy.worldEnglish
        101·
        7 months ago

        That sucks, you’re doing the right thing. Did you consider getting the tapes of who did it from the store cameras? Although it’s probably too late now. They should be punished for their toxic behavior.

        There definitely are people who’s empathy hasn’t improved. Maybe two-thirds of the population’s empathy has improved, but the remainder became even more sociopathic. They get mad when people wear masks, when billionaires get taxed, or when medical services are given to homeless people. There is a group that just lives on fear and rage. They somehow think that keying someone’s car who wears a mask is justified because…? Maybe just that they saw people wearing masks during the pandemic and concluded masks cause pandemics.

  • brvslvrnst@lemmy.mlEnglish
    13·
    7 months ago

    My wife and I recently moved to a smaller town in the Northeast from Colorado. It’s been an adjustment, but honestly I’ve found some wonderful communities here supporting each other much more than I had out West.

    This isn’t to say that it’s a hellhole out there. It’s more that I wasn’t expecting to find it here, which gave me a bit of a recheck to my thoughts on the state of things.

    It also isn’t perfect, but I’m not letting that bring down the hope it brought me.

    Now back to being jaded 🙃