Sympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person,
closely understanding his or her feelings. The word derives from the Greek
a sympatheia, from syn together pathos, in this case
suffering from pascho, to be affected by, to suffer. It also can mean
being affected by feelings or emotions.
Thus the essence of sympathy is that one has a strong concern for the other
person. Sympathy exists when the feelings or emotions of one person are
deeply understood and appreciated by another person.
The psychological
state of sympathy is closely linked with that of compassion, empathy and
empathic concern. Although empathy and sympathy are often used
interchangeably, a subtle variation in ordinary usage can be detected.
To empathize is to respond to another's perceived emotional state by
experiencing feelings of a similar sort.
Sympathy not only includes empathizing but not always, but also entails
having a positive regard or a non fleeting concern for the other person.
In common usage, sympathy is usually making known one's understanding of
another's unhappiness or suffering, especially when it is grief over the death
of a loved one.
Death as a sentient entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since
the beginning of history. In English, death is often given the name the Grim
Reaper and shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in
a black cloak with a hood.
In some cases, the Grim Reaper is able to actually
cause the victim's death, leading to tales that he can be bribed, tricked, or
outwitted in order to retain one's life.
Other beliefs hold that the Spectre of Death is only a psychopomp,
serving only to sever the last tie from the soul to the body and guide the
deceased to the next world and having no control over the fact of their death.
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