I empathize best when placing myself into 
analogous situations where I don't have an 
emotional interest. 

So, if you owned a restaurant and there were 10 
couples waiting in line, and your "friend-who-
saved-your-life" walks in and really wants a 
table badly, who gets the next table?  

I value my life so I know the answer to this. So 
now we're just debating how good a friend it 
takes.