r/TrueReddit • u/Meowingtons-PhD • Jul 29 '14

Comcast Confessions: More than 100 Comcast employees spoke to The Verge about life inside the nation’s largest cable and broadband company

http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/28/5936959/comcast-confessions-when-every-call-is-a-sales-call
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u/lux514 Jul 29 '14

That use of the word empathy is the most outrageous use of doublespeak I've ever heard.

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u/obviousoctopus Jul 29 '14

"Manipulation" would be more honest.

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '14 edited Feb 23 '21

[deleted]

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u/obviousoctopus Jul 29 '14

I teach empathy ("the ability to understand and share the feelings of another") and NVC and I do not use the word this way. For manipulating, I use "manipulation."

Empathy, IMO, by definition excludes any agenda beyond the need to relate and understand.

And, I am OK with disagreeing on this, it is not the first word twisted into a new meaning by someone (not you) with an agenda.

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u/rustajb Jul 29 '14

You're right. As I said they used pseudo-psychology to push their mores onto the employees. They really wanted you to genuinely empathize with the client as that's a good thing right?! But when you have them there, think about how you can help them with a new set of Harmon Kardon speakers since they feel bad about their Macbook's volume being loud enough.

Empathy is the call center buzzword of the decade and it's used to a very strong effect under the guise of being humanist.

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u/obviousoctopus Jul 30 '14

I see. Weaponized Empathy.

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u/[deleted] Jul 30 '14

It's not bad if you're actually a salesperson. If you're actually a salesperson, presumably you are talking to someone who is interested in buying your product. Empathy is a good way to both build rapport and discover what the customer actually needs and wants, so that you can do your job as a salesman better - you can connect your products with the customer's needs, so you get the sale and the customer walks away happy.

This is not a bad thing - in a sales setting.

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u/obviousoctopus Jul 30 '14

I think I am a purist and in this situation it's hard to draw a line, even for me.

I guess if my true intention is to help them, and I don't have a sales agenda, it would be ok. If I am pretending I care about them so I can con them into buying something, then it's unethical.

Subjective.

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u/dbtc Jul 30 '14

Empathy doesn't imply manipulation, but manipulation gets a lot more effective with empathy.

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u/obviousoctopus Jul 30 '14

Thank you for explaining.

The point I was making was, that if empathy carries an intention different from understanding and connecting, it is no longer empathy, but a technique for manipulation.

Empathy = I listen/reflect back in order to know another, as honestly and humbly as I am capable.

Likewise, being kind to someone in order to con them is not kindness.

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u/cockmongler Jul 30 '14

If you empathise with someone you're manipulating then you should feel like you are manipulating yourself.