I was surprised that i could be empathic - a skill I was forced to pick up at MindTouch while managing people, undoubtedly. I've always had a cold, calculating streak - I had always assumed that these traits were mutually exclusive. But to my surprise, they aren't.

I'm always surprised when people perceive me as acting the opposite way - that I'm empathic when I'm actually being calculating, and vice versa.

Empathy is generally considered a Good Thing - it makes you a better person.

I wonder how the the flip side is perceived. It's easy to look at some of the things I've done and say it's manipulative. Is there even a positive way to describe the calculating trait?