The hottest Empathy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

The Awe of Sondering

Polymathic Being • 58 implied HN points • 22 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Every person you pass has a vivid, complex life full of stories, struggles, and dreams, and seeing that sparks humility and awe.
  2. We’re more connected than we think — social networks and the idea of six degrees show how quickly perceived differences can collapse into shared relationships.
  3. Small, temporary interactions like a nod, a joke, or a short conversation can bridge separate worlds, offer help, and create meaningful connections.

If people lash out at you, remember: it’s more about them than you

Civic Renaissance with Alexandra Hudson • 199 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Empathy
  1. When someone is rude or angry, it usually says more about them than it does about you. People can be having a tough time, and their behavior might not really be personal.
  2. Try to think kindly about others instead of judging them harshly. Instead of saying 'they are a jerk,' remind yourself that they might just be having a bad day.
  3. Learning to react with empathy is important. By focusing on understanding rather than taking things to heart, we can keep our peace and better handle tough situations.

Your highlights of 2023, and overcoming helplessness in 2024

Granted • 7427 implied HN points • 01 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Empathy
  1. Compassion involves acknowledging distress even if you can't solve it, helping people feel seen.
  2. Top 10 links of 2023 included topics like the effective use of language, email etiquette, and cultural communication differences.
  3. Podcasts on bringing out positivity in kids, unlocking hidden potential, recharging on weekends, and building leadership skills.

Friday Reflection 35: Why Don’t Doctors Want to See Patients?

Sensible Medicine • 2987 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Empathy
  1. Being a doctor is a challenging and high-stress job, dealing with patients and their families every day.
  2. The responsibility of being a doctor means always needing to perform at your best, even on bad days.
  3. Doctors often feel overwhelmed by the limitations in fixing the underlying societal issues that contribute to their patients' health problems.
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C'est La Vie, C'est La Guerre

Ladyparts • 1877 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. The post discusses thoughts on empathy, aggression, war, and peace in the context of a personal experience at the French border.
  2. The author is sharing the essay for free for a limited time as a holiday gift to the readers, showcasing appreciation for the audience.
  3. To access more content, readers can sign up for a 7-day free trial on Ladyparts.

It's Peak Summer ADVICE TIME!

Culture Study • 1115 implied HN points • 11 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Summer is a great time for sharing advice and connecting with others. It helps build a community where people can support each other.
  2. Asking for advice can be hard, but it's important to be open and willing to seek help from others.
  3. Empathy and understanding create a safe space for people to celebrate successes and share struggles together.

How to be more earnestly curious

Adaobi’s Newsletter • 17 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Earnest curiosity is a quiet, warm way of listening that makes people feel known and interesting.
  2. It naturally includes people and disarms defensiveness by assuming best intent, which makes honest conversation possible.
  3. You can practice it with simple habits—ask how people spend their time, follow and recount conversational threads, keep eye contact, notice outsiders, and follow up on incomplete answers.

Lessons from The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro

Dwarkesh Patel • 1592 implied HN points • 03 May 23
📚 Literature Empathy
  1. To succeed, go beyond the norm and do everything necessary with intensity and attention to detail.
  2. Ambition can lead to unexpected alliances and outcomes as seen in the political career of Lyndon Johnson.
  3. Understanding and reading people is key in wielding power and influence, as exemplified by Johnson's ability to empathize and manipulate for his goals.

Trumpers Are Not Entitled to Respect

Erik Examines • 1209 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Empathy
  1. Respect has to be earned, and many MAGA supporters haven't done that. They often act disrespectfully towards others but expect respect in return.
  2. There is a double standard where MAGA supporters don't recognize their own harmful statements. They can insult others but get upset when the same is done to them.
  3. Freedom is often misinterpreted. For some, it means the freedom to dominate others instead of true liberty for everyone.

Tanzania

The Friendly Neighbors • 805 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Empathy
  1. Dr. Emily Smith is working on a project to identify barriers to care for children with cancer in Tanzania.
  2. Even when vaccinated, wearing masks on flights can reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
  3. Jesus' definition of 'blessed' centers around those in suffering and those who care for others.

Social media is a machine that destroys empathy

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday • 1069 implied HN points • 10 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Social media can lead to a loss of empathy. People often say things online that they wouldn't say face-to-face.
  2. When anger about issues like healthcare rises, some people turn to violence and support it. This shows a breakdown of empathy and understanding.
  3. There's a need to focus on changing the systems causing these problems, rather than blaming individuals. We should hold companies accountable while also working to fix the root issues.

The Cost of Kindness – a White Camellia podcast

A B’Old Woman • 519 implied HN points • 14 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Empathy
  1. Women often show more empathy and kindness, which can sometimes be taken advantage of. It's important to recognize when kindness is being exploited.
  2. As women gain life experience, they become wiser about balancing empathy with pragmatism. Understanding that the situation is bigger than just one person's story helps them make better decisions.
  3. The podcast discusses the impact of uncritical kindness towards men identifying as women on women and girls' rights. It's crucial to think about the broader consequences of our actions.

Cognitive Empathy And Abortion

Bentham's Newsletter • 412 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Empathy
  1. It's important to try to understand why people believe what they do.
  2. Having cognitive empathy can help in making friends, influencing people, and holding true beliefs.
  3. Addressing the true beliefs of others rather than assuming the worst can lead to more constructive discussions.

The Insidious Lie That We Can’t Understand Each Other

After Babel • 2074 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
🚌 Education Empathy
  1. Identity trap ideologies suggest we can't understand each other, but it's important to challenge this notion.
  2. Standpoint theory emphasizes empathizing with oppressed groups, but it may not effectively guide political action.
  3. To argue against the identity trap, take concerns seriously, show why the ideology may fail, and propose a more noble path forward.

Providing X-Rays, MRIs and CT Scans to Higher-Weight Patients

Weight and Healthcare • 479 implied HN points • 18 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Empathy
  1. Know the weight and size capacities of your equipment and facilities to provide better care to higher-weight patients.
  2. Understand the diverse needs of all patients and create protocols to ensure a positive experience for everyone, including those with disabilities and neurodivergence.
  3. Communicate openly and proactively with patients about accommodations, accessibility, and equipment capabilities to enhance their experience and educate them about available options.

We're About to Watch Billions Die. Where Does "Empathy" Fit Here?

OK Doomer • 208 implied HN points • 23 Jun 25
📖 Philosophy Empathy
  1. Empathy might not be enough to make a real difference in the world. Just feeling sorry for people doesn’t change the actions of those in power.
  2. Historical examples show that people can feel compassion for fictional stories while being cruel to real victims. This shows a disconnect between emotions and actions.
  3. As global crises increase, it’s important to rethink the role of empathy. We need to consider how we respond to suffering on a larger scale in the face of potential mass deaths.

HOISTED FROM THE ARCHIVES: Cory Doctorow on FanFiction

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 107 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Authors often feel a strong connection to their characters, almost as if the characters have a life of their own. This makes it hard for them when fans create stories that don't match their vision.
  2. Readers can develop deep emotional bonds with fictional characters, making them seem real. This connection explains why fanfiction is so popular; fans want to continue sharing stories about those beloved characters.
  3. The history of storytelling includes borrowing and reimagining, which is what fanfiction does. It shows how narratives can evolve and why it's such a rich tradition.

Why Belonging Matters to our Health & Well-being

Are You Okay? • 419 implied HN points • 27 Dec 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Empathy
  1. Belonging involves feeling accepted and welcomed, while inclusion is about incorporating excluded individuals. Belonging is an emotional aspect compared to inclusion, which is more action-oriented.
  2. Feeling accepted and supported contributes to confidence and healthier habits. Conversely, exclusion and lack of belonging can lead to negative emotional impacts like anxiety and depression.
  3. Simple steps to help those struggling with belonging include active listening without interruption, empathizing with others, allowing space for people to share without immediately trying to fix their problems, and accepting individuals as they are.

Of Jail, hell and avocados

The Global Jigsaw • 238 implied HN points • 24 Nov 23
🚌 Education Empathy
  1. Learning a new language is about more than just vocabulary, it's about empathy and understanding vulnerability.
  2. Making mistakes in language is brave and should be appreciated, not ridiculed.
  3. Language learning is like exploring a foreign land - full of surprises and growth.

Review: "Brandon Sanderson Is Your God" by Wired

coldhealing • 255 implied HN points • 25 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. The article criticizes popular fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson for his perceived lack of depth in his works and personal life.
  2. The Wired article attacks Sanderson's character through ad hominem attacks rather than engaging with his literary merit.
  3. There is a comparison with a YouTube video that provides better journalism and artistic exploration than the Wired article.

The Tears of Strangers are only water

Wrong Side of History • 379 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Empathy has its limits; we often feel sad for others but can't fully connect to their pain. It's normal to care about distant events, but we might not be able to change them.
  2. Sometimes, people who are deeply empathetic can get overwhelmed by the suffering they see in the world. This can lead to sadness, just like in the story of Simone Weil.
  3. Understanding the feelings of others is important, but we need to balance it with our own well-being. It's okay to feel for others without taking on their pain.

An Awkward Silence

Timeless & Timely • 196 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Empathy
  1. Showing intentions can be more important than finding the right words.
  2. Being present and showing support through simple gestures is valuable during difficult times.
  3. Silence, when done with intention, can be a powerful way to demonstrate care and empathy.

Try to see it my way

Thoughts on Writing • 599 implied HN points • 10 May 22
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Cognitive empathy, the skill of seeing things from others' perspectives, is essential in advertising and broader societal issues like preventing wars and climate change.
  2. Diversity in advertising means more than just race and gender; it should encompass various backgrounds like class and education to reach wider audiences effectively.
  3. A culture of cognitive empathy in advertising shifts focus from internal introspection to understanding and connecting with customers, helping the industry regain cultural relevance.

Don't Tell Your Parents

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano • 170 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Kids see the world differently than adults do. They have unique perspectives and experiences that adults often struggle to understand.
  2. Entertainment for kids used to create a sense of adventure and secrecy, but now it often feels like adults are trying too hard to be relatable. This can take away the excitement for children.
  3. Empathy is important for both kids and adults. Understanding each other's viewpoints can help bridge the gap in communication and lead to better relationships.

Two too many atrocities,...how many more?

History's Parrot • 78 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Empathy
  1. The importance of sharing critical insights and information from independent journalists like Alastair Crooke to combat lies and tyrannies.
  2. The impact of 'win narratives' on empathy, active listening, and communication between states, as highlighted by the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
  3. The necessity to reflect on existence and societal decay in current times of turmoil and assault on societal pillars.

Boredom and its discontents

The Leftovers • 99 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Empathy
  1. Boredom can lead individuals to engage in risky or extreme behaviors, as seen in the historical case of Frantisek Kotzwara's death from erotic asphyxiation.
  2. The public's interest in rescue stories transcends socio-economic status, showing that people are captivated by tales of survival and heroism.
  3. Exploration and adventure often come with a price tag, with the wealthy having more access to risky endeavors, highlighting the intersection of boredom, money, and the drive for thrilling experiences.

writing away the ego

practiceprocesscraft • 98 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Empathy
  1. Writing well requires asking good questions and observing your thoughts.
  2. Understanding that everyone's beliefs and values are valid is key for a writer.
  3. Writing as a spiritual practice can dissolve the boundaries of the self and connect us to the world.