A recent study supports a rising notion that Echo Boomers lack empathy when compared to former generations. I think that this study fails in several places. I will add here as well that if one could prove Echo Boomers lack empathy, the social results will also have some economic implications.
1. While the study has been conducted, its size causes concerns, especially if we are to assume its applicable to all Echo Boomers.
2. The study failed to consider some of its own results, for instance
They are more likely, meanwhile, to admit that “other people’s misfortunes” usually don’t disturb them.
That sounds terrible until you consider that Echo Boomers use technology more than any other generation. It is now possible to have conversations with people you've never met face to face. The possible misfortune manipulation (ie: using sob stories to try to manipulate others) factor has increased by an unknown multiple.
Consider that in the past, people didn't experience misfortune manipulation as much since most people came in contact with people they knew.
What about now? With technology the sob stories have only increased, and exposure to them has risen. As an example of this, I experienced thousands of misfortune manipulation while in customer service. These stories, which are a form of passive aggressive abuse, desensitize you to a person's problems since most of them are fake.
What I find disturbing is not the lack of empathy, but the people who think that using a sob story can allow them to break the rules and exploit others.
3. The definition of friend has changed. While I am unsure of how people in the early 1900s used friend, I know they didn't mean a picture on Facebook or MySpace. As people move toward electronic means of friendship - which possesses many advantages and disadvantages - relationships may become less emotional in time. A lot of emotion is expressed in flesh and blood, something technology lacks. This doesn't mean that modern friendship will be unemotional, but we shouldn't be surprised if friendship becomes less emotional.
