Compassion Sympathy and Pity are the concern with sufferings or misfortunes of others.
When witnessing a misfortune, we get compassionate, but it can only concern our own feelings. because we are individuals, the only way to experience others pain is to imagine ourselves in their position, nevertheless it would still concern ourselves. The main reason to act upon it to stop our own distress, in that way it is selfish. This may have evolutionary reasons. Even without a real authentic source in reality let’s say like during a stage play or watching social media, we would be distressed for no actual reason.
When we feel pity for others we are really feeling pity for ourselves, pity for ourselves in many cases can prevent us from acting, self-pity is defined as “excessive, self-absorbed unhappiness over one’s own troubles”, it might encourage selfishness and weakness, the lack of ability to act.
A man who feels pity is a man who is does not acknowledge the full difference between himself and the other, when helping others it is always with self-concern. There is another man who truly acknowledges that pity is a form of self-concern, therefore denying it, motivating his actions from a higher stand, without limitations, beyond what imagination or nature can offer.
See: Nietzsche, Derrida, Rousseau