Honestly, hardship made me the exact opposite.

When I was a kid, I was very sensitive towards other people. I was a real crybaby that was easily upset. I couldn't even hurt a fly, let alone another person. I was a good kid.

But as I grew older, I realized that being a nice person is like asking to be used and abused. I was put through such prolonged horrific abuse at a young age, that I had to be willing to hurt others to avoid being hurt any further. As I developed into adult hood, my capacity for empathy started gradually declining. Now, I can't feel a thing for another person. I very rarely, if ever, cry. I see most people as being little different from NPCs in one of my video games.

That isn't to say that I'm not capable of compassion. I simply can't feel anything for another person. I can only understand how another person feels with cognitive empathy. I can't feel another person's suffering and I am not compelled to help somebody that isn't a friend. However, I understand somebody who had to endure hardship or abuse from a logical standpoint.

Make sense?