Michael, perhaps you're fortunate enough never to have needed the social and welfare services of your local authority, or stood in line at an unemployment centre, or needed the police as a victim of crime, or been hospitalised in a public facility, or become disabled, or homeless (just think 'Katrina' for example), or any number of situations where the massive legions of public 'service' providers and bureaucrats hold power over your life and, but for the grace of God, have themselves narrowly escaped any or all of those misfortunes.

Routinely, people who have encountered any of these situations find that they can easily become a specimen, a hapless sub-human to whom anything can be done, upon whom any amount of casual, callous abuse can be heaped.

Such unfortunate people soon find that there certainly is a massive deficit in empathy amongst the general populace. In fact, it's so pervasive and epidemic that most of us do not even notice it now. (And let's not even get started on the millions of children who die or are maimed each week as a result of famine, war, poverty. All the endless atrocities of endless wars and conflicts. Etc.etc. While the rest of us turn a convenient blind eye.)

No, I am sure that Empathy Deficit Disorder is real and at devastating levels. May I, with great respect, suggest that you might revisit what 'empathy' really means and perhaps also spend a week at a public employment bureau, or a police station, or a state facility for those with learning difficulties or paraplegia, or at public hospital - the possibilities are almost endless. Tell the staff that you're doing research into 'how badly behaved service users are, how they are ingrates and abusive, how demanding they are'. That'll immediately yield a tremendous welter of staff tales of their routinely callous and punitive treatment of service users - and usually delivered with a smirking sneer - before you even begin your observations.

As a regular reader of your blog, and others here, I genuinely look forward to your report back.

In a nutshell, can't we argue that in this case, 'disorder' is just another way (or excuse) of saying, 'they can't help it'?

A lack of common sense, not a people person, lacking street smarts or plain old fashioned selfishness?

A person cuts in line, rides your tail to make you go faster on the street because they need to be somewhere. Stuck in traffic? Ever wonder if anyone's dead or are you wondering if you can sneak into the shoulder to pass the line of cars?

It makes me angry to think that our culture is finding more and more ways to excuse (as you say), it's 'bad behavior'.

If there are actually people who suffer from this, that's unfortunate but giving it a name doesn't make it okay.

Now please excuse my own brashness, I have douchebag disorder.

You lived in my neighborhood, when I was little.
ha ha Didn't you ? I know you did !

Empathetic disorder, a label that only masks the
deeper, unresolved, conflicted, disturbing issues.
Unsafe person to themselves and others.
I am only speaking of what I observed how our
childhood life affected my brother.

Hello Michael and others

Thank you for making this distinction clear. It's helped me to understand far better your whole gist.

I certainly agree that probably far too many people welcome a disorder label which exonerates them from working on their deficits.

I also believe that this wholesale empathy deficit is a cultural requisite - that is, it's required of an individual in order to function in our western culture. I think, elaborating my thoughts here, that cultural leaders and trendsetters possibly do suffer from this putative 'Empathy Deficit Disorder' as individuals. Indeed that's the mechanism by which they manage to climb to positions of influence. These are the people who do need treatment and to be removed - lawfully and by societal pressure, of course - from positions of influence and power.

Although we don't want to use this putative 'EDD' as an excuse generator, such an identification assessment could and even should be a prime requisite of job and officeholder selection processes.So, for that reason I believe that a DSM-listed disorder could be very helpful. A tricky-trap one though, I agree.

Another trap set for us by the medical profession is that it most often defines major, widespread issues as individual difficulties. This has a number of effects. It removes responsibility from the medical profession for doing anything much, it transfers responsibility (and blame) to the individual - would you trust a psychopathic killer or a psychotic schizophrenic, for example, to take sole responsibility for their own treatment?! No, and neither should we allow EDD sufferers to either. Unfortunately, this is just what happens. Doctors and other professionals stand by whilst evil prospers. They too are symptomatic of the compassion/empathy deficit introduced and then imposed by EDD people who pervade our public services and media.

I fear I could write a PhD thesis here. So I'll stop there. But thank you again for clarifying and extending your points.Despite my questions, I believe you've raised a fundamentally important issue and one that the vast majority do not want to touch with an insulated, disinfected bargepole!

To lack empathy is to lack emotion,hence the mostly genetic condition called DEPRESSION, which is a personal vulnerability to stress,a stress which can be experienced through society. The depressive then sees society as the enemy, something to revolt against, weather in a mild or drastic response. DSM is another observation of the personality that is seen outside of depression.A big mistake.Sincerely, David

I agree this is not a disorder,but a personality flaw directly related to depression. Emotions and self esteem are the most notable things to be affected by depression. You are correct to be critical. Sincerely-David

Some people say I am a cynic some people say I am realist. I totally have this thing whatever it is. I am a friendly neighbor, hard worker and loving parent. But I am not the one you lean on when you have a bad day. I just don't feel sorry for people. I don't feel sorry for myself either. The only people I feel sorry for is dead babies and starvig babies. Just little ones who can't take care of them selves anyone else should be happy they are not a starving baby, and shut the hell up.

With all due respect, I have taken note of a dangerous trend in our society to relate cynicism to intelligence. Celebrity worship and materialism have caused many to become numb to another's suffering. The media has great influence on people's emotions. This can be easily proved through an easy research. To empathize is not to "feel sorry", but to connect to the human experience. There is definitely an "agenda" of profits behind the entertainment and news that reach us. They are backed by great corporations whose interests are not yours or mine. To determine the degree in which we are being influenced by the media would be very difficult, but there is no doubt that it is being done. Look at the deplorable condition of our schools and the behavior of our children. Feeling empathy is not losing one's perspective in life, but to become more human. Gaining a deeper understanding and compassion for the human condition connects us to a greater source of consciousness. If we remain divided and take refuge within the limitations of our immediate surroundings, we will fail to see the big picture. Perhaps it would be better for the ruling minority that people remain mostly cynical and numb to the needs of others. "Divide and conquer", or so the motto goes. If we remain uncaring and continue to be attracted to the fad of self-indulgence and superficiality of our so called "idols" and "leaders, (an adolescent trait), we will not be fully present in our own lives to experience the true and beautiful complexity of our own beings. Would something be gainde by taking the chance?

Happy Dwapara Yuga!
Peace!

Suggested Reading: "Man's Search for Meaning"
Viktor Frankl, 1946