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There are times in life where it’s pretty easy to feel very, very alone. The truth is, while social media can leave people feeling out of touch, online content and memes have a way of revealing that we, as humans, often have a lot more in common than one might think. 

The “Relatable Tweets” internet page shares the posts from X (that name didn’t age well, did it) that sum up the human experience. From suggestions that deep down all of us agree with, to elusive emotions that, finally, someone put into words. We got n touch with Signy Sheldon, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology to learn more about empathy. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Bored Panda got in touch with Signy Sheldon, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Psychology at McGill University and she was kind enough to share some thoughts and insights into the concept of empathy. After all, without it, relatability becomes a tad difficult. In general, we were curious about what causes humans to feel empathy. 

“Empathy is a really important response to another person’s distressful situation and it comes about when we understand the emotions that a person is feeling at that time – we understand their mental state. This understanding is critical because it helps motivate us to help that person in need,” she shared. 

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#6

Yup

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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My!
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd subscribe for this! Most of the time I play History's The Universe, on endless repeat. It's interesting, but easy to tune in or out, depending on how Stardew Valley is faring, and how many cute cat pics there are on BP that day.

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“The situations that make us feel empathy towards another person are those that we can understand the emotional toll on that individual. For instance, if you know what it feels like to lose a parent, you are going to be more empathic to a person going through a similar situation,” she shared with Bored Panda. This is perhaps why most groups feel the need to create memes about their own community. 

#7

Why Is This So True?

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Weirdo with Internet
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just like how she can find the thing you've been looking for for the past 20 mins, and YET can't find her glasses or keys that's in her hands. Mom magic

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#9

The Human Body Is A Mystery

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“However, this empathic response is going to be driven by how much you see yourself in that person. We tend to be more empathic to people that we feel are more alike than us.” At the same time, there are people out there who don’t seem to have any empathy or compassion for others so we wanted to hear her thoughts on how this happens. 

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#10

Relatable

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Ranger Kanootsen
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wished I was an adult as a kid. I was right to wish and am living much better now than I did then. Childhood trauma, people!! :)

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“People can appear to lack empathy if they don’t understand the emotional experience of another person, either because they haven’t gone through a similar situation or can’t even imagine what that experience is like,” she shared with Bored Panda. Unfortunately, this sort of thing is a lot more common than one might think. 

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So we also wanted to know what people can do to cultivate empathy in their own lives. “The basis of empathy is being able to understand another individual's mental experience during a time of distress – how are they feeling and what are they thinking? Our research has shown that our episodic memory system, one that allows us to both remember our own past experiences, is fundamental for reaching this understanding and cultivating empathy.”

#17

Lol

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Multa Nocte
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It do be like that much of the time. My excuse - "I want other people to be able to hear the movie."

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“So, if you want to cultivate empathy, you would want to engage in episodic memory. You can do this by recalling having experienced something similar in your own past to what a person is currently experiencing, say a bad break-up. Trying to bring that memory to mind in detail, and reflect on how you felt in your past memory.”

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#19

Me Irl

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Chilli
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mwahahahaha, no I can't help you with your homework, I have to do my own homework, mwahahahahahaaaaaa

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#20

Everytime

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Kate
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And no one's ever like, hey, colleges don't have bell schedules, that must be the fire alarm....

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“What is really important is that we can use episodic memory to engage empathy, even if we don’t have a similar experience to what someone is going through. This is because we can use our episodic memory system not only to help remember the past but also to build imagined hypothetical events. Once we create these events in our minds of what another person is currently experiencing, we can simulate what they are going through and this will lead us to empathy.”

#23

Dad Please Im Trying My Best :(

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Gillbella
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me this week: so the book says you do this and this. Kiddo: I don't get it. Me: umm so how about like this? Kiddo: no- me: nah me neither. We'll skip this. Ask your teacher tomorrow!

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#24

Can Anyone Else Relate To This? 😂

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“A lot of the research on empathy has suggested that people have more empathy for others that they are similar to, so a great tool to help us become more empathic is to look at the commonalities between you and a person in distress rather than focus on the differences,” she shared. So, when in doubt, always try to focus on what is relatable, not what sets you apart from others. 

#29

Probably In Your Best Interest To Avoid The Harpy Eagle

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Warpath81
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This what Gandalf will look like when angry birds makes a version that uses lord of the rings characters, like they did with transformers or star wars

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#30

True Though

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Isaac Harvey
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Overthink overthinking until you don’t want to overthink overthinking anymore.

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#31

They Have To Know What They’re Doing, Right?

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Multa Nocte
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's so us ladies can have "just one" from our significant other's order of fries.

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#33

My Ideal Saturday Night

jacobgc75 , ch000ch Report

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cerinamroth
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Honestly, putting time locks on my most-used apps has revitalised me beyond my wildest dreams. I sleep better, I'm more present for my kids, I have more time for my hobbies. It's amazing the difference it makes.

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#36

The Next Billion Dollar App

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Mark
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, STOP IMAGINING THAT EVERYONE HATES YOU, no, yes, maybe?

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#37

It So Do Be Like That

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Shayne Randlett
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Call me weak until you're blue in the face, if it makes you happy. It won't bother me a bit, as I'll be taking a nap

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#44

Fr

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Stygtand
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7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I sometimes get angry at my mom. Then ifeal guilty for being angry at her. Then i go hug her. Im 44.

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#45

👍

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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My!
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cats do not like lemonade. We do like lemon cake with that white drizzly icing and a saucer of coffee, though. No, our soft can-opener won't give us coffee. We have to sneak from her cup when she's not looking. A proper soft can-opener wouldn't make us steal it.

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#46

#growingupwithglasses

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Surenu
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Touching my glasses is an absolute no-go. Taking them away, well, you made an enemy for life. Your life specifically.

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#47

It May Not Be Relatable, But It's Relatable To Me

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Shayne Randlett
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't keep it a secret - I tell everyone in case I ever meet someone who can make it happen

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#48

It Would Be A Hit!

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censorshipsucks
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

there is in fact a movie about just this. It's called As Good as it Gets starting Jack Nicholson.

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#49

Hi I’m James And I Like To Party

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Mark
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and the 5th best school 50 km from city limits in the upper tristate area for contemporary digital arts

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