This notion that you can only be empathetic to what is relatable to you is stupid and that is not *real* empathy. Real empathy is trying to put yourself in the other's situation *regardless* of if you actually understand or not.
Its also frustrating that a lot of neurotypical people claim this is empathy while expecting from us autistics that we empathize with *their* situation which, in many cases, is not relatable to us. But if we don't empathize, we're the bad guys
This is a double standard
@esp for some the problem IMO is not a lack of affect, but it's too much!
aye just because we might not display emotion in the same weigh as the majority, does not mean we are not feeling it
google "intense world theory"
@Dekken I have this actually! I get overwhelmed often due to it and because of that I can come across as apathetic at times.
I think the people who have too much empathy are closer to real empathy than those who act like things have to be relatable for them to empathize
@Dekken very true, I also have this issue. I wrote that from the perspective of someone who has too much empathy and who has that sensory gating issue (didn't know it was called that)
It was mostly inspired because I remember someone without autism kept calling my situation nonrelatable and because of that I should just shut up about my problems
@esp that person might feel bad for not being able to understand your situation, and you talking about it might make it worse for them - not an excuse for their behavior, but just a though
@esp another thing to mention is "Sensory gating"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_gating