"I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilisation." - Roger Ebert

In our me, me, me society has there ever been a greater need for empathy?

To be able to put yourself in the place of another... To free yourself of your own instincts and see things through their eyes and experience feelings in the way they would... To be so entwined in their being that you almost feel you could anticipate their next steps.

(Or rather, their desired next steps, for the chance exists - you know, because you can empathise - that they won’t actually do what they know they ought to do).

Empathy takes us past the point of comprehension. Its roots run deeper than sympathy. And its implications stretch beyond compassion.

Is it any wonder that the quotes I've used are by the greats from the acting world?

"When you start to develop your powers of empathy and imagination, the whole world opens up to you." - Susan Sarandon

The first in a series of words about words