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In general, a helping hand is an individual who provides assistance to someone who becomes fatigued during the course of their work.

Since I was a kid, I’ve been involved in serving others through my parents who are ministers. In my country, people always consider ministers’ children to be part of their parents’ ministry. Initially, it was difficult for me to accept this way of thinking since it was not necessarily intended to be this way. In addition to discovering myself, I also learned that my upbringing in a collectivist society had shaped me as an empathetic individual.

Empathy

«Empathy is the capacity to think and feel oneself into the inner life of another person»

Heinz Kohut

When I initially considered writing about empathy, I was curious to investigate how empathy differs across cultures, such as individualistic versus collectivist. I was unsure how to address my self-development of empathy since I was not raised in the United States.

Therefore, I had to research how empathy varies among countries and cultures. Furthermore, I came across an article by Sara Konrath, part of research titled “Differences in Empathic Concern and Perspective Taking Across 63 Countries”. The research was based on an understanding of empathy between individualistic and collectivist cultures.

The study suggests that some social structures can make people “super-empathizers” (Chopik et al., 2016). They discovered that collectivist cultures tend to have higher empathy scores than individualistic cultures.

In collective cultures, members of the group are more closely connected and converse with one another. Furthermore, the interconnectedness between people plays a significant role in shaping each individual’s identity. In order to maintain harmony, they place a high priority on fitting in with others.

Nevertheless, cultures that are more individualistic scored lower on empathy. In other words, individualistic cultures put more emphasis on being separate and unique from others (Chopik et al., 2016).

Ubuntu

Ubuntu refers to “I am because you are” or “humanity towards others”. It is a Zulu word that describes “the belief in a universal sharing that binds all humanity” (Mojola, 2019). It is a non-western philosophy that rejects this emphasis on individuality.

This African philosophy is based on the idea that the relationships you have with other people shape your sense of self. During the time of Apartheid in South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu used this concept to bring reconciliation.

During the lockdown, I observed how the Ubuntu ideology came to life. It is because when people had lost their jobs or income and were forced to rely on the help of family and friends.

Humanity

Humanity is defined by our ability to extend kindness to others, a quality that defines who we are as people (Mojola, 2019). As long as we distance ourselves from other people, we will experience a sense of isolation in our lives.

As human beings, we have the responsibility to share with those who are in need as part of our societal responsibilities.

“To be empathetic is to see the world with the eyes of the other and not see our world reflected in his eyes”

Carl Rogers

Empathizing with others’ suffering helps us to comprehend the world from their perspective. In other words, it implies being able to recognize their uniqueness and placing ourselves in their shoes. As a result, this will help us understand the essence of Ubuntu, because when we allow ourselves to be completed by others, we become more human.

Works Cited

Chopik, W. J., O’Brien, E., & Konrath, S. H. (2016). Differences in Empathic Concern and Perspective Taking Across 63 Countries. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 48(1), 23–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022116673910.

Mojola, A. O. (2019). UBUNTU IN THE CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY AND PRAXIS OF ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS. Ubuntu and the Reconstitution of Community, 21–39. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvh4zgdk.5