The Limits of Empathy

沒有底線的同理心會帶來的影響，詳見下文(節錄)：
 

Problem #1: It’s exhausting.

Like heavy-duty cognitive tasks, such as keeping multiple pieces of information in mind at once or avoiding distractions in a busy environment, empathy depletes our mental resources. So jobs that require constant empathy can lead to “compassion fatigue,” an acute inability to empathize that's driven by stress, and burnout, a more gradual and chronic version of this phenomenon.

Failing to recognize the limits of empathy can impair performance.

In a survey of Korean nurses, self-reported compassion fatigue strongly predicted their intentions to leave their jobs in the near future. Other studies of nurses show additional consequences of compassion fatigue, such as absenteeism and increased errors in administering medication.
Customer service professionals must continually quell the concerns of distressed callers. Empathy is exhausting in any setting or role in which it's a primary aspect of the job.
 

Problem #2: It’s zero-sum.

Empathy doesn't just drain energy and cognitive resources—it also depletes itself. The more empathy I devote to my spouse, the less I have left for my mother; the more I give to my mother, the less I can give my son. Both our desire to be empathic and the effort it requires are in limited supply, whether were dealing with family and friends or customers and colleagues.

People who reported workplace behaviors such as taking “time to listen to coworkers" problems and worries” and helping" others who have heavy workloads” felt less capable of connecting with their families. They felt emotionally drained and burdened by work-related demands.

Problem #3: It can erode ethics.