So, you're scrolling through social media one day, and bam! You come across some hilarious meme or witty post about the latest tragedy  —  the OceanGate Titan Sub's implosion. Chuckle-worthy, right? I mean, we've all got our humor coping mechanisms. But if you can take a pause and step out of the meme culture for just a sec, here’s a perspective shift to consider. 

When we're communicating through text, email, or social media, we forget there's another human on the other end of that interaction. Our empathy  —  that beautiful ability to understand and share the feelings of another  —  seems to be stuck in a hamster wheel, running but not getting anywhere.

Before we go on, let's get this straight. Empathy isn't just sympathizing, it isn't just saying "Oh, poor you". It's feeling with someone. It's understanding their perspective, and their emotions, and acting accordingly.

And yet, the digital age seems to be doing a damn good job of eroding our ability to show empathy. Back to the OceanGate Titan Sub case  —  the sub tragically implodes, five humans lose their lives and suddenly, it's a goddamn comedy show online. "A new way to eliminate billionaires"  —  some say, finding humor in the tragedy. But did any of them pause to think about those five humans, their lives, and their loved ones? Likely not.

The tragedy involved real humans  —  Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood, Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, Paul-Henry Nargeolet  —  names, histories, and humans who meant the world to someone. They weren’t just characters in an action movie, they were human beings. But when all you see is text on a screen, it's easy to forget that. It's easy to ignore the reality that someone, somewhere, is mourning their loss.

So, how do we reclaim our empathy? How do we regain that deep understanding of others' feelings in this digital world of emojis and memes?

1. Pause before you respond: Slow down, Hotshot. Before you respond or share that meme, take a second to consider the other side. Understand that there are real humans behind the news, real emotions, and real lives at stake. Remember the human.

2. Empathy is a practice: Much like getting those six-pack abs, developing empathy takes effort and consistency. Start small. Listen more, really listen  —  to your friends, your colleagues, even to the barista at the coffee shop. Understand their perspectives. Feel with them.

3. Humanize the screen: That glowing rectangle you're looking at? It’s not just a device, it’s a portal to another human being. Treat it that way. Remind yourself that behind every post, every text, and every email is another human  —  with emotions, experiences, and a life as complex as yours.

4. Self-awareness: Understand your emotions, and recognize your biases. Know that your initial reaction might not be the most empathetic one and that's okay. What matters is that you make an effort to correct it.

5. Express yourself: Emojis and "lol"s are fine, but don’t let them replace genuine emotional expression. Let humans know when you're happy, sad, excited, or upset. Show them that it’s okay to feel, to share, to connect.

In the end, developing empathy, whether online or off, isn’t about denying our own feelings or becoming a doormat. It's about embracing our shared humanity, recognizing the emotional lives of others, and responding with kindness and respect. Because at the end of the day, we're all just stumbling around on this rock together, trying to figure shit out.