When keeping the idea of empathy in mind, we open a new perspective on others we would not assume automatically, giving an awareness and consideration of other individuals. DFW emphasizes the decisions people face when experiencing a dull, frustrating, or irritating scenario, frequently determining everyone else is to blame for this feeling since we, as humans, are born to be self-centered. There is no question we are self-absorbed; we only physically see and experience the world through our perspective; it is how humans develop. Evading this selfish nature, we must look outward by using amity. As suggested by DFW, “If you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options” (6). He stresses the importance of altering one’s default settings of being self-absorbed by choosing more rational decisions in frustrating situations and assessing others’ potential struggles. With a concern for people, we ultimately rid ourselves of becoming excessively self-absorbed simply by taking others into account. Noting that acknowledging others’ conflicts is not trying to fully understand an individual since one can never know every detail in one’s struggles, as empathy implies. It is not just in encounters with others but also national and more substantial issues we automatically empathize with or neglect to see clearly. Introducing statistical data into the matter, Bloom writes, “…in the year of the Sandy Hook killings, more schoolchildren were murdered in one American city – Chicago – than were murdered in Newtown” (2). The significance here is that the populace looks to more mainstream serious events and sympathizes with the affected individuals; however, they overlook the slowly accumulated incidents. The cause of this effect is the media and news outlets covering these major events to acquire views and attention, but they actively overlook the lesser occurrences, leaving them out of the public eye. Where people come together as a community to a lesser degree to support those who are struggling or have experienced traumatic events is where compassion shines brightest. In the case of “The Hawk”, written by Brain Doyle, a once-renowned football player resorts to living on his high school’s football field in his time of need. The surrounding community outwardly empathizes with the local, showing how they often think of him by providing him with food and other experiences he may not obtain elsewhere. The ex-football star recounts, “…we understand someone getting nailed and trying to get back up on his feet again” (Doyle 3). Kindness, a more accurate term for empathy in this instance, is depicted in this claim on seemingly minuscule acts of kindness by the town for a local man trying to rebalance his life. Minor acts of sympathy for a man dealing with life’s struggles allows him to experience and appreciate the fragileness of human existence, living peacefully in a supportive environment. Each work brings unique circumstances into the discussion of empathy and affirms that awareness is lacking in society overall, and everyone should work to become more considerate.
I notice that I use pointing and key terms far more frequently than transitions in my writing. Repetition is used in a way, though I typically change the vocabulary as much as possible. It may be good for me to attempt to use more transitions in my work.
Within my Barclay paragraph, I should utilize transition words/phrases more often as they do not appear frequently. This chapter provides many alternatives and options for transition words, so I should pay close attention to them when writing. I also believe that I will continue to use diverse word choices, particularly with synonyms, as it has done well for me in the past. Chapter eight has helped me see that returning to previous sentences is a good tool, and is strongly encouraged. I feel as though I have not used this technique that much (if at all), and I believe it would greatly strengthen my writing.
