Empathy

I have been often been called kind. I never thought myself of this; I thought I was just the average human being, but my ethics are different from others. I have often found myself unconsciously picking up an object someone has dropped and returning it to them and though I usually get a grunted thanks; I still feel good. Nowadays this is seen as empathetic/kind, but I wonder if I do it for others or myself. I don't know if my conscience wants me to give/ help others because I feel guilty or if I truly want to help the other person. I honestly don't know if I believe "our generation" has become less empathetic but if I had to state my side I would think we have. The pressure of rising and being the best has made us topple through some obstacles and made us colder, I suppose in order to not regret our decisions.

I feel as if empathy has become an artificial emotion. It's something you do because it's part of "human nature." We are born with it I suppose, but will we trigger the emotion? If people have begun to mistrust the empathy then that means that they themselves have experienced or gone through a certain situation to feel that the lack of empathy has affected them or others negatively. For example if we are given a list on when we should use sympathy, although it comes "naturally," that must indicate a growing lack of empathy. It's like a guide on how to be human.

But I feel that this only applies in certain places, especially in the USA where the "American dream" forces us to try our best and think in a capitalistic manner where we have to beat others in order to be ahead. like the comment in article of "What, Me care? Young Are Less Empathetic"  states: Population pressure reduces empathy. Now the question is where does that pressure come from, until where can we trace the pressure back to, how far back must we go until empathy was a factor of  a human trait rather than a trait that is recognized as a "rare" aspect that makes you a good human being. When did we become so disconnected?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2877627/