Empathy Gives You Superpowers
summary
Claim: empathy actually boosts technical and social outcomes by specific practices rather than vague goodwill. Demonstrates surprising moments (the Sprite-at-dinner anecdote, Patricia Moore’s aged disguise, John Howard Griffin’s Black Like Me) and concrete tools: five whys, the human library, and repeat back listening. Distinguishes cognitive empathy from emotional empathy, shows measurable wins—more PRs accepted, clearer docs (Taylor Otwell/Laravel example), better requirements, faster conflict resolution—and describes what gets built differently when motivation and constraints are understood.
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chapters (25)
- 0:00Intro
- 0:57Im a jerk
- 3:47Empathy
- 8:27Defining Empathy
- 15:43Learning to Listen
- 18:52Empathy is a skill
- 19:32How to come more empathic
- 20:42Shutting off your inner voice
- 22:58Repeat what they say
- 24:27Why though
- 26:37The 5 Why
- 31:54Understanding
- 36:20The Golden Rule
- 37:27assimilation and accommodation
- 39:00Patricia Moore
- 40:39Cultural Differences
- 42:06Snake Sex
- 44:14Acceptance
- 45:12Courtesy
- 46:41Your clients will love you
- 47:25Become friends
- 48:17You matter
- 48:45You help
- 48:58Pluralism
- 49:45Lack of empathy
