Everyone Thinks They're Morally Superior Than Everyone Else.

Angie Wally
Jul 23
5 min read

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had an overwhelming desire to see others and understand what they’re really like. I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to walk in their shoes. To be who they are and understand why it is they do the things that they do. I believe it’s the most magical feeling of all time, to see others from their perspective and not just mine.

I don't think I know who I am without the empathy that sometimes consumes me. I believe it makes me more human, that it pulls me out of the bubble I put myself in. As overwhelming and as powerful as it can be, I wouldn't want to live without the emotion of being an empath. When I find a lack of it in today’s society, I get scared that maybe not everybody will see me the way I try to see them. With our increasing use of social media, I believe that we’re only choosing to see each other at a surface level, and our curiosity about each other is dwindling. We judge people based on TikToks and old Instagram posts, completely ignoring the fact that we don’t know anything about who they really are. Social media has become a court, and we’re all playing judge and jury. No one’s taking the time to truly listen to the other person. It makes me terrified to say something on the internet, only to have someone completely mischaracterize me.

"Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world”.  - Bill Bullard

Empathy asks you to put your ego aside and wonder for a second how the other person could be feeling, and try to understand their stories. And nobody really prepares you for the gravity of this emotion. It’s like you have no choice but to experience the same feelings as others. Any symptom they show, shows up immediately within yourself. Being empathetic means you travel beyond yourself to truly see what others are going through. What made them who they are? However, these days I see less and less understanding on social media and across our daily lives. I see more judgment than compassion, and I see a whole lot of people pretending that they have never made a mistake before. I see opinions and hot takes everywhere, but no one’s really thinking about the other person’s situation. Everyone rushes to give an opinion or come up with smart advice, instead of just listening and attempting to understand.

There is an epidemic today called ‘cancel culture’, a term I find absolutely ridiculous. How do you cancel a human being? How do you play judge with no hard evidence in front of you? How do you dictate whether that person can change or not? Maybe they could learn from their mistakes? I think about the small things people do on social media, and suddenly, everyone’s giving them a life sentence. Especially women. They get put on trial faster than anyone. I believe social media has conjured all the narcissistic symptoms in people. It has summoned all the inner judges within ourselves, and now we feel the need to comment on everything.

Many people traded empathy for moral superiority. Moral superiority is a trap we get caught in. A trap that makes us think we are better than others. If we’re all so perfect, then who is actually causing all the trouble in our society? People try their best to exempt themselves from any wrongdoing, but will be quick to judge the second someone makes the tiniest mistake. We justify our own actions but crucify others for their choices.

Everyone’s so obsessed with doing everything right and being the best at everything that they forget mistakes are what make us truly grow. They are more concerned with showing everyone how perfect they are and how they can do no wrong, but no one is immune to making mistakes. Everyone is bound to screw up, and what separates the good and evil is your ability to learn from your mistakes and try your best not to hurt anyone in the process.

“It is usually futile to try to talk facts and analysis to people who are enjoying a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance.” - Thomas Sowell

It will always be exhausting for an empath to try to make people understand the multiple perspectives that they’re seeing. Those who engage in moral superiority will be choosing a path of ignorance, where they share opinions more than compassion. And they practice judgment on others more than empathy. They are usually very defensive too, and it’s not easy for them to admit that they are capable of making a mistake.

People say empathy is a blessing and a curse; I say it’s a gift. Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to see things from others’ perspectives. There is empathy that makes you understand others on an intellectual level, and there is empathy that makes you see others. It matters because we can’t have a sense of community without empathy, and we can’t function as a society without empathy. We can never have a true connection with anyone without empathy. A lack of empathy between us just increases hostility. We need it in friendships, relationships, and marriages. Being an empath can be considered a superpower that helps you understand things that people just don’t get.

I always think about that quote by Constance Wu, that

“It’s important that we engage in curiosity and empathy before we go straight to judgment”.

We should remain curious and empathetic as long as we can afford to, before we judge others. We don't know everything about others’ situations, no matter how hard we try. And we shouldn’t begin with analysing, instead we should try to listen first. We owe it to each other to be empathetic, understanding, and compassionate. We can’t thrive or grow without putting ourselves in each other’s shoes.

There’s a saying that when people are drowning, don’t teach them how to swim; instead, help them. I wholeheartedly believe in this saying because we need to be carrying each other to the shore when we’re drowning. This will lead to deeper connections between us as human beings.

I believe that empathy is one of the most beautiful emotions that a person can feel. It can be overwhelming and tiring, but it will always be worth it. Empathy can calm down storms and shed light on things that we never thought we could understand.