Political Empathy, Smart Or Stupid?

Empathy is understanding others. It is generally achieved by considering how you would feel, if in the other person’s situation. I have talked about it before regarding its difficulty. For example, the law abiding citizen has trouble understanding how the freedom to bear arms lowers the crime rate, compared to countries prohibiting citizens to have guns. The understanding, however, becomes easy, once Mr. or Ms. LawAbiding considers how Mr. or Ms. CriminalMind thinks. For example, if you were going to rob someone, wouldn’t you wonder if he or she had a weapon. What if your potential victim had a gun, on his person or in his home. You just might think twice.
Limits of empathy exist is other aspects of life relevant to politics. For example, when the Republicans say, “Give us our country back!” they are heard one way by some people, but in a different way by others. Those others mights think, “Hell, no. You’ve had it real good. Now it’s my turn.” These would be the millions who have felt the country was not really for them, or that they really did not belong. Some racial groups feel this. Some women feel this.
Thus, it is important to think twice about whom you are talking to. Conservatives vying for the nomination would generally be heard positively by Republican conservatives. However, in the general election. lots of non-conservatives will be listening. How, then, does one propose a policy or a direction without alienating the other side. Well, once real empathy is achieved, it’s not so hard. The idea is to be gentlemanly and consider the other side’s feelings.
This is what George Bush did rather successfully in 2000. He said he was a Compassionate Conservative. Now, the male values of the GOP hear “conservative”, while the female values of the Democrats hear “compassionate”. He addressed the values of both sides.
The same holds with image. The male GOP values substance. The female Democrats tolerate, if not value, image. We could get down and intimate here, but let’s remember that women who wear wigs are not the subject of ridicule, but men who do are. Women hide wrinkles with make-up. Men do not. I don’t think I need to go further. In fact, about the only false thing men are OK with is teeth.
So, in 2008 Barack Obama went to the Brandenburg Gate. That’s where Kennedy went, and that’s where Reagan went. Republicans might have said, “Who does that guy think he is, the president?” How false. Man, it’s bad and worthy of criticism to be false. On the other hand, millions of other did not disparage him for assuming the image of president, when he was only a candidate.
The Republicans, with generally male values, must understand the Democrats, with many unconscious and conscious female values, just like the Democrats must understand the Republicans. To ignore these realities and not keep the other side’s feelings and values in mind is politically risky–and thus stupid. To address the other side’s values and feelings is, on the other hand, politically smart.