An instructive cartoon on the example of a sacheant bear, poor chanterelle and not too sensitive to loved ones explains what empathy differs from sympathy, and why the first is so important.
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In fact, in the cartoon it is about two different ways to get displeasure from someone else's displeasure.
The first (Empathy) is a mental (usually involuntary) modeling of the state of another person. Empatizer turns out to be about the same condition as the one he emphasizes. And discusses what it is there. Empathy is not very effective if you need to immediately stop displeasure, but it is very important if a person wants to understand him.
Sympathy in Russian does not quite correspond to English Sympathy - we usually mean that we like the person, and not that we want him (or her) well. But, in general, there is no contradiction. Sympathizing compares the person who suffers in the way that he likes and is sympathetic, and the first thing that voiced (or just feels) is "something you are not like that today ...".
Sympathizer would like the pictures of the visible and desired again began to coincide, and for the sake of this is ready to share its resources (for example, sandwich). Sometimes a specific help of someone who wants us to continue to be depressed, cancer, debts, quarrels with the employer, and so on, much more important than understanding. And sometimes suggestions are terribly ridiculous - if a person is before to offer assistance, did not spend their strength to estimate, and how there, in this misfortune, inside, and what help you need it now. Maybe this is this time an understanding and more important sandwicher.
And if completely in the mind, then it is necessary to combine empathy, and sympathy. But, as always, when the balance is required, it is not easy.
Comment: Asya Mikheev