Until Bigger Thomas (BT) committed the first murder, he was little different than the biblical Cain before he slew Abel. Human history begins at the point at which that murder, born of envy, occurs. The murder creates agency. Likewise with BT:
fake empathy
Fake Empathy in Black for a Day by Alisha Gaines (Review)
If one starts with pretending to be who one is not, then one does not end up with authentic empathic relatedness. Fake empathy in; fake empathy out.
Empathy Lessons 