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7 Real-Life Situations That Reveal Fake Empathy
How to know if someone really cares about you or they’re playing to the gallery.
Empathy is supposed to be the ultimate connector. It makes us human. It’s the superpower that allows us to step into another person’s shoes and feel their pain, joy, or confusion.
But the ugly truth is, empathy is often faked. Not everyone who pretends to empathize with you is genuine.
Many people, either consciously or unconsciously, wear the mask of empathy to manipulate situations, avoid discomfort, or to look like a “good person” in public.
It’s painful to admit, but many of us have been on both sides of this divide — either the giver or the receiver of shallow, performative empathy.
Here are dirty truth behind fake empathy with eight real-life situations that will hit close to home.
1. The “I Hear You” Lip Service
We’ve all encountered this at one time or another. Let’s say you’re venting about a situation you have with someone, they give you the classic “I hear you” response.
They nod, lean in, and make just the right noises to look like they’re engaged. But in reality, they don’t actually care. They’re just putting on a show.
