People can speak negatively against others, or insult them, only because they do not feel the pain of other people.  If you would just pay attention, you would “hear” how the person you want to speak against is saying “Have compassion on me, and do not belittle or disgrace me.”  If you were aware of this, you would literally be unable to speak loshon hora against others.  But when you don’t think about what is going on in the other person’s mind, you don’t hear him and do not feel his suffering.  Then everything is possible.

The antidote for this is to think about another person and enter his reality. Then you will be in greater rapport with him and become close to him.  This will enable you to feel what he is feeling.  This leads to a sense of identification and oneness, and is literally the fulfillment of the commandment to love your fellow man as yourself. ~ R’ Yeruchem Levovitz zt”l