How come I feel more love from disembodied avatars of frens than I do from some of my own flesh and blood family?
Because it is hard to find people that think alike.
And empaths are always expected to conform to the blustering of other, especially if they are bullies, and then the bullies can't handle it when we say no, we don't comply.
Then we find each other on AU Island and realize we are totally awesome!