Acquaintance Is Emotionally Significant

Abstract This chapter argues that acquaintance has unique emotional significance because of how it relates to certain moral emotions—such as empathy, compassion, and what the author calls “The Feeling.” The author starts by introducing a series of examples of the Feeling. Then he highlights certain key features of the Feeling and considers what type of feeling it might be. He considers whether it is empathy, pity, or a certain kind of attitude or perception. Ultimately, the author argues that the Feeling is a form of love—what he calls “Mister Rogers love”—and he suggests that it allows us to more-or-less literally see the value of people around us. Then he argues that acquaintance with this and other emotions is what enables this unique way of perceiving others’ value. Finally, he argues that the Feeling is important partly because it motivates us in a unique way to help those around us.