There is a saying where I come from that knowing math, quadratic equations, and other things was not necessary to make one rich or help one in some of the most practical aspects of life. However, I came to realize that this was not entirely true, and that some scientific knowledge, if we have it, can be useful in real life. There are high-level jobs that require extensive geographic knowledge.
I have seen a lot of documentaries about people making a lot of money with their math knowledge and skills, and math, while underrated, has a lot of practical applications. In life, we value practicality. People expect you to have experience before you can teach or boldly claim you can relate to something.
This is why geologists and doctors cannot do each other's jobs. Without experience in a specific field, it is difficult to claim to know something, no matter how much you believe you do.
Pain & Experience
For example, I have experienced both physical and emotional pain, and even in the depths of my pain, I do not believe I can compare the pain of another person to mine. I believe that our life experiences differ, and that we sometimes pretend to understand what others are feeling when, in reality, we cannot.
For example, in one of my many hospitals, I met hematologists who have extensive experience studying my condition. However, only one of them demonstrated empathy and true understanding. It was not because the others were not as intelligent or brilliant; the difference was that this doctor had my condition; she had experienced the pain, trauma, and depression, which makes her quite sympathetic to another person suffering from the same conditions.
I have met many terrible doctors, and to be honest, I do not judge them. Their responsibility is to share their experience and knowledge, but sometimes it takes more to be a doctor. Some of them are unable to empathize with your situation sufficiently to elicit an emotional response. They try as hard as they can to understand what you are going through, which is why some of them appear soulless; they are not, it is just that their inability to truly know you allows them to underestimate your ordeal.
It is the same for psychologists.
I saw a popular gospel preacher talk about being depressed and needing to see a Christian shrink. Many people believe that because he knows God, he is immune; however, this is not the case. Life's pain has no immunity. A person suffering from physical disabilities can be depressed regardless of the circumstances. That type of depression is usually chronic, but it is difficult for the average person to understand.
The job of a shrink is not one I would like to have, but I believe it is a very insensitive profession. People dealing with people's emotions and mental health without actually understanding what their clients are going through. It is a messed up thing. The world is not practical enough. Most of it is textbook, with people saying things they do not know and pretending to have experiences they can not even relate to
Practicality is everything.
I understand that not everyone should have to go through these experiences in order to understand many things, but this is primarily how empathy is developed. When you understand other people's problems, you do not feel sorry for them. Pity is condescending.
Empathy is the state of truly understanding a person and being moved to help them, as opposed to looking at them in a way that makes them less of themselves. Practicality is the solution to many human woes.
Interested in some more of my works