"the curse of Empathy"

[donsu]

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20050613&s=kushner

Kushner on Miller

-snip-

He once wrote that he stopped studying economics as an undergraduate because economics, as it was and is taught, can "measure the giant's footsteps but not look into his eyes." His observation reflects his indebtedness to left political analysis--a central tenet of which is the critical consideration of the human, ethical and political meanings of money, rather than the mere prognostication of its tides and currents--and it also reflects his conviction, or perhaps predilection, or natural inclination, even when considering the giant, to look for truth by looking into his eyes, the windows of the soul. Arthur Miller had the curse of empathy, even for the enemy. Humans justify themselves to themselves, even bad humans, and Arthur the playwright always wanted to know how and why. Look into his eyes.

-snip-
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(who is it now whose eyes we are told not to look into?)


is Empathy a Curse
or is Empathy a Power?

(I know the sense in which Kushner meant it)