Lol leave it to the partner of a narc to say something like this:
She had "intellectual" empathy: almost as if she knew she should react that way. She didn't feel it at the soul/being level. She knew the words, but couldn't hear the emotional music of our relationship.
What else is she suppose to do?
Oh wait....did I just answer the first question? 
I'll keep my first topic simple.
Now me personally I force myself to have significantly less empathy than others, mainly because I believe empathy is a sign of weakness and I don't like the idea of letting one's emotions interfere with one's cognition. I've reached a point where it has become second nature to me.
So mainly, I would just like to know how the other forum members feel about the idea of a "lack of empathy".
Do you believe you lack empathy initially or do you try to lack it purposely?
Thoughts on others who are distant when it comes to empathy? (Love them?, Hate them?, Etc.?)
Bonus Question: Do you think the world would be a better place if we all just cut our emotional ties?
by Sasuke
Now me personally I force myself to have significantly less empathy than others, mainly because I believe empathy is a sign of weakness and I don't like the idea of letting one's emotions interfere with one's cognition. I've reached a point where it has become second nature to me.
Cognition and emotions are inseprable; they are both different components of brain function. The feelings you have about sociopathy and empathy have led you here and moved the muscles in your hands to type out your post, just as my fingers have been moved by a combination of boredom and the need to structure reality (to impose that need here?).
If you have the capacity for empathy, I would recommend against trying to "tune out" your empathy. Firstly, empathy has little to do with "rationality." Lacking empathy only disengages you from the emotional aspect of relationships—it does not make you think more clearly. Clear thinking comes from seeing things for what they are. I have seen the emotions of the highly empathic distort perception, and I have also seen the delusional perspectives that a lack of empathy can engender (such as believing a lack of empathy is an inherently good thing).
You should think more about where these ideas you have originate from. Specifically, what events in your life do their roots lie in? There is a sort of satisfaction empathy provides that you cannot enjoy without it. I have felt empathy twice in my life (brought on somehow by drugs), and both times were wonderful experiences. I can't imagine why someone would consciously choose to walk away from feeling what I imagine I felt those two times, unless it was causing them pain.
There is not a clear or necessary link between lacking empathy and thinking rationally. So I don't see what your gain here is, if you feel you are driven to irrational choices due to emotions, identify it sure, and try to subdue it when it is needed, when making decisions. Clearly understanding others or seeing and feeling things from their perspective can give you more information or insight when making decisions, giving you more data to base you "rational" decision on.
I had a thought when typing this that I was explaining something wrong. I must have gotten this topic mixed up with another idea of mine. Basically what I failed to say the first time is (and this may be off topic) that Id rather make a rational decision over a decision thats influenced by emotion. If I was some sort of a law enforcer, and my girlfriend killed someone (and lets say under the circumstances my decision is what matters). Chances are she'll have to be punished. I could care less what the girl was to me. Even if I had the power to let her get away with it I wouldn't. But what do I know? Im still figuring it out myself.
And for those of you who had the time to correct me for my mistake, would you answer my questions now? Or are there flaws in that as well?
"Do you believe you lack empathy initially or do you try to lack it purposely?"
The empathy doesn't come initially and none of that is of my work. Scenarios and situations just made me numb to the spectrum of emotions.
"Thoughts on others who are distant when it comes to empathy? "
In real life when I come across that I try to get to know them better. It's not everyday you come across people like that, odds are you have a lot in common.
"Do you think the world would be a better place if we all just cut our emotional ties?"
Emotion is the human nature's way of regulating and ensuring our survival. If humans never had empathy we'd never would've banded together to create constructs like towns and communities. All emotions have a deep, primitive, reasoning behind them. The maternal bond is obvious, that reason people need to socialize with other people, grief, it all comes down to survival. It's the closest thing to a guideline nature has given us. If these laws weren't instated back during bc and early ad era's our race wouldn't have thrived like it has.
"Clearly understanding others or seeing and feeling things from their perspective can give you more information or insight when making decisions, giving you more data to base you "rational" decision on."
Nothing you can't read off of body language.
"if you feel you are driven to irrational choices due to emotions, identify it sure, and try to subdue it when it is needed, when making decisions."
Doesn't often happen like that, even the greatest of minds gave into their emotions. It's best not to have that option in the first place.
