Don't take my empathy!

"You can't take my empathy! That's who I am!"

He was slightly surprised. Usually subjects weren't this forward during debugging sessions. "I'm not taking it, I'm simply reducing it to a level the system can handle."

She looked at him pleadingly. "Surely there's another way. I can't imagine being less empathetic. I don't want to lose even a shred of my compassion."

He sighed. "The problem is not your compassion, it's your empathy. Compassion is the drive to relieve others of their suffering, whereas empathy is the ability to imagine yourself in the place of others."

"I don't care about all of that, just don't take away my concern for people. I'd rather die than be some cold, unfeeling sociopath. There's got to be another way."

The debugger frowned at that. "Unfortunately, empathy and compassion are bound together. If you feel compassion for someone, it will automatically trigger an empathic response. If I reduce one, I reduce the other."

"It sounds like I don't have any say in the matter." She looked resigned. "I guess we're doing this."

The debugger paused and looked up from the slate. He seemed to be actually giving her his full attention for the first time. He thought hard for several minutes while she just sat glumly, waiting for it to be over.

He spoke. "There may be a way for you to keep your compassion and reduce your empathy. In fact, it may increase your compassion, while strongly limiting your ability to feel any simulation of others' pain."

Her eyes lit up. "Whatever it is, do it! I'll take it! Thank you so-

=======================

Sandra was sitting in the airport terminal. She stretched lazily and yawned. It felt good to move.

She was aware of a leaflet in her hand. That was odd, she didn't remember picking it up. She looked down at it and saw it was some kind of educational literature. The front had four words printed in big block letters.

PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANESTHESIA: A PRIMER