Why do highly successful people lack empathy, people who never faced any adversity in life? These people often will claim that theyre successful only because of hard work, and bootstraps. And anyone who is poor, is simply a lazy slacker. Anyone who is depressed is simply lazy, or should "cheer" up. Does born into extreme wealth make you less empathetic? Did anyone have the same experience, that the most "successful" people are often the least empathetic? Especially if they were born with a silver spoon?
It depends what you mean by successful, was it handed to them or did they work for it from a place of adversity?
I find that anyone who is "blessed" in life will find a way to make the world see their blessing as a curse, even if-in truth-they would not trade it for anything. They only have sympathy for themselves so they cannot have empathy for anyone who is unlike them. Instead of trying to understand the less fortunate, they throw a pity party and blame those "beneath" them for not attending.
I think it's ultimately the human condition being played out on an extravagant stage. Everyone finds a way to be the victim whether they have good reason to or not.
Ironically, sometimes the most well off people have the most time and privilege to do so.
They aren't busy living the part in hell, so they make themselves busy playing it.
There's no room for anyone else on their stage and they will not give up the spotlight even if you are groveling in the streets. So obviously, there's no room for them to have empathy for those who deserve it.
On the other hand..
People who didn't have much and worked to get where they are tend not to remember how stuck and desperate they once felt. With good reason I suppose, who would want to re-live that?
They did it, they succeeded in surpassing their beginnings and misfortune. So now, in their eyes, suddenly everyone else can do the same.
These are the people who probably didn't even have the time to be playing the part of the victim, because they were too busy living it. They weren't allowed to complain, so they won't let you either.
They dont take into account that everyone grows up differently and not everyone is capable of the same things. They don't look around and see where they are now, on top, and see how few spaces are really left up there . They don't take into account that part of the reason they are there is luck, not purely their perseverance.
These people are worthy of respect but can be guilty of the same arrogance and dissociation from the rest of society, once they reach their goal.
I've known both parties, the first has proven impossible to penetrate and receive any understanding from. The latter has more hope to find empathy, because they do know what it is like in some regard, they've just forgotten and need patience in being reminded.
