The Temporal Empathy Oscillation Effect: Why You Care More About Your Future Self Than Tomorrow’s You
Have you ever wondered why it’s so easy to hit the snooze button, promising your future self you will wake up early tomorrow instead?
Why you can vividly remember and empathize with your teenage heartbreaks, but struggle to recall how you felt last Tuesday?
In this article, I will explore this phenomenon.
I call it the Temporal Empathy Oscillation Effect.
This is a ground-breaking concept that might change how you view your past, present, and future selves.
The Surprising Rhythm of Our Empathy
Imagine your empathy as a wave, undulating through time.
Conventional wisdom suggests our emotional connection to events should simply diminish as they move further from the present.
But reality, as it turns out, is more fascinating.
Let’s break it down:
1. The Present Moment: This is our baseline. You’re acutely aware of your current feelings, needs, and circumstances.
2. The Near Future/Past (Hours to Days): Here’s where things get interesting. Your empathy takes a nosedive. That project due tomorrow? Part…