What does Pathos X mean?

It stands for Pathos Index.

What's that?

The definition of pathos:

Pathos (noun) [Greek: πάθος]: The quality or power in an experience, work of art, or communication that evokes emotion, compassion, or sorrow in the observer.

Is it a synonym for emotional empathy?

Yes, exactly.

What's the "index"?

The Pathos Index is the range of emotional empathy people are capable of.

Early care (availability, attunement, responsiveness) sets our baseline capacity to feel with others. That baseline becomes your "operating system" or mental model.

Our first relationships act as the model for subsequent relationships.

Right, one side of the spectrum is outward-focused people, who have an acute sensitivity to the feelings and needs of others. As a consequence of this, they may overlook protecting themselves.

The opposite side is inward-focused people, who continuously assess their environment for threats and prioritize self-protection.

In the middle are balanced-focus people, who care for others and protect themselves.

This tracks with my experiences.

Emotional empathy acts as an internal governor on behavior. Those without it can choose to behave prosocially, but they have a lower inner aversion to dissocial acts.

Our position on the pathos index profoundly affects how we perceive, interpret, and interact with the world and those around us, making it the key determinant of our behavior.

Not extroversion
Not agreeableness
Not conscientiousness
Not openness
Not neuroticism

Okay, but why should I care?

If you can detect someone's operating system (outward, balanced, inward), you can read intent and interpret social dynamics with a high degree of accuracy.

This skill - behavioral literacy - is a superpower. It lets you easily navigate complex situations, giving you wisdom before you're old.

That is huge. I’m in.

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