This essay was a really interesting piece to read after the first piece we read. This essay contradicts the opinion of essay number one and in turn suggests that empathy might not always be the answer when trying to understand another person and their experiences. Devon Price suggests that empathy consists of “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.” While this might be helpful in some circumstances, in others it might not be possible and it might even make them uncomfortable. Instead, Price offers alternatives such as perspective taking where you analyze a person’s life from the outside and attempt to understand their thinking and point of view on subjects. Price offers this as a practice anybody could use daily in trying to understand people at a deeper emotional level. My biggest take away from both of these articles is knowing when to put myself in someone’s shoes versus analyzing someone’s emotions from a distance.
