I think they care. I’d even say they go out of their way to help people. They went into a helping profession when they could have made more money for less trouble as an accountant or something, after all. I also think you can care about someone who pays you. It happens in the context of a professional relationship, sure, but that doesn’t make it disingenuous.

I care about the kids I tutor, not because their parents pay me, because…well, how could I NOT care, when I see them upset and struggling? How could I NOT want to see them smile and be proud of their work?

In the same vein, how could any decent, empathetic human being look at someone who is clearly hurting and NOT care?

Take care.