Yeah, I realize this. It's a skill, like most social interaction, but I've gotten the impression that there's something deeper missing. You know .... Emotions, those pesky little things.

Sure, I could learn to better mimic the appropriate emotional reactions in order to accommodate others' feelings, and this would probably be the "polite" thing to do, however manipulative. And that's why I was asking - would you rather me do this, even if it isn't genuine? Even if I can't empathize?

It's kind of a weird gray area for me, morally speaking, because in this instance, faking empathy would be the polite thing to do. I'm putting forth effort as a consideration of another's feelings, which is morally good (right?), but that effort is basically learning to lie better.