Empathy

I'm not sure who said this, but it's good.

"The torturer you should fear most is the one who sheds tears as he works."

I picked up that quote from another blogger and it was credited to R Scott Bakker, but I could not find proof of that. Nonetheless it is interesting.

If it's true, would this mean that someone who can empathize with you is in a unique position to make you miserable? Weaponized empathy. Now there's a concept.

I do not have much natural empathy. What I have, I have learned. Does this make me a sociopath? Well maybe, but it's not nearly as sociopathic as using empathy as a weapon. Still, the idea intrigues me. It's the cleverness of it I think. Using a virtue to harm someone is the ultimate in evil behavior is it not? I bet Satan has been doing this for millennia.

The things you can learn on the internet are awesome.

 Lisa Simpson: He's gone. Forever.
Homer Simpson: [still uncaring] And?
Lisa: I didn't think you'd understand.
Homer: [even more uncaring than before] Hey! Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.