The opening quote caught my eye for this article. That quote makes an incisive point that knowing our personal impact on others can guide us to a happy and contented life.

I totally agree with the point of your article, that empathy is our guide for moral behavior. My moral compass is not a book, although I have found guidance in many books. My my moral compass is my gut and my chest, where I feel fear and guilt.

But I would take this line of reasoning one step further and say that empathy is a skill. Empathy is learned from our parents, caregivers and mentors. It is empathy that allows us to use the foundation skill of all of humanity: cooperation. No empathy, no cooperation.

Your example of how someone can do wrong to acquire that thing they want so dearly, that is due to a lack of skills, one of them being empathy, and another being an inability to articulate a need with the word, "please". Ultimately, challenging behavior in human beings boils down to a lack of skills and capacity to respond adaptively to the demands of the environment.

Great article, and a nice first read first thing in the morning.