I think David Foster Wallace’s “This is Water”, argues that we should live our life with more empathy. But maybe not more empathy in the idea of trying to donate money to a charity, or traveling across the world to build a school. I think Wallace is arguing that it starts with a mindset. We have to open up our minds to see the world in a better way. A way in which we have love and respect for the struggles for others. And that we shouldn’t be as selfish as we have become trained to do. On the other hand, Bloom argues that living a life with more empathy is really difficult, and instead of aimlessly failing to do something that is hard, and in some ways counterintuitive, we should instead live with less empathy, and perhaps be more realist. Bloom argues that empathy is counterintuitive in that it is narrow, biased, and can actually be insensitive. I think by arguing that empathy is difficult to have (Bloom says impossible), is where similarities actually come in to play. Both Bloom and Wallace express that possessing empathy is really difficult. But as Bloom argues that should mean we get rid of it altogether, Wallace argues that we should still try to have an understanding for the struggles of others. Personally, I most agree with Wallace. Although this probably comes from a bias within me as I have always thought empathy to be very important, I maintain that living with more understanding towards the ideas and struggles of others helps us become a better society in every way. I think one of the greatest shortcomings that we have in this country is that we fail to empathize with people that are different than us. If we were able to listen and show more love for others that thought differently from us, then I think our country would be a more peaceful place. A happier place. Again, its difficult. In fact, one could argue that this is one of the greatest difficulties for any human in our society possess. But I would also submit that it is essential in
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