Based on the headnote from the editor in emerging in which they write, “Jamison questions our ability to feel empathy for others when we aren’t sure whether or not the source of their suffering is real” (Barrios 222). I think it should matter whether you’re able to affirm if the source of their suffering is real or not in order to empathize with them. I say this because, in order to truly have empathy for someone you need to be able to share emotions with them relating to their situation, and when you have doubts about the validity of their situation, it makes it harder to actually empathize with that person. I think if you’re going to share empathy with someone you should be able to relate to where they’re coming from, in this case, the author does share similar stories to what these people are suffering from, but not to the exact extent. But if someone like me, who has no belief in the disease were to try to empathize with them, it would be meaningless because I wouldn’t be truly relating and able to understand what they’re feeling. That’s not fair to pretend to show empathy towards a person when your hearts really not in it in the first place. The same should be said for if it matters or not as to if you believe in what they’re saying, because it’s simply lying to the person if you’re pretending to be in agreeance with them about their situation when you know deep down it’s simply not the case.
