Expressing the Sentiment “Get Over It!”

The Split Second-In Consideration of Others in These Trying Times or Look Up from the Phone

 I have not given up getting my unpublished book “The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others” published. There is some “pushback” against my concept of a society where we all get along and are nice to each other. Then there are others who have been wonderfully supportive of me to go on with this project. I am incredibly grateful to them. I hope I can get the good word out there. That is the hard part for me, right now.

Recently, I saw a small explanation stating the difference between sympathy and empathy. I have an entire chapter in “The Split Second” dedicated to this notion. As I see it (and it is explained this way in Webster’s Dictionary), empathy is the concept of attempting to comfort someone in an inconvenient situation she/he is experiencing. The one comforting has not experienced the situation the other person is realizing but wants to relieve the other of the pain or discomfort being felt. Sympathy is much the same as empathy although the person comforting the other has experienced the situation the other person has felt and is dealing with at the time being.

I have found in my life that one of the rudest statements to vocalize to another who is experiencing some emotional pain is “Get over it!” I have found this can make one suffering feel much, much worse about a given situation. I have seen during my years on this earth that many people will exclaim “Get over it!” because she/he has no sense of sympathy or empathy.

Also, I have known many people who have said “Get over it!” to me in a way of saying “Knock it off. I don’t want to be brought down by your troubles” However, when that same person is experiencing an inconvenient situation, she/he wants all the sympathy or empathy that is available. Translation: “I won’t feel sorry for you if you are down; however, if I am down, you need to be there for me with concern.” That is not right as I see it.

My book is about thoughtfulness for others and openly showing it. Many have told me that this is slipping away in society. I believe that we can truly become a society where we can all think of others as we “go out in the world.”  It must start somewhere, and I am willing to be a pioneer to bring it back into society.