Bestselling author, political adviser, and social and ethical strategist, Jeremy Rifkin, says we must “begin rethinking human nature” and “bring out our empathic sociability so that we can rethink the institutions of society and prepare the groundwork for an empathic civilization.”
Empathy Is:
- the acknowledgement of death and the celebration of life and rooting for each other to flourish and be.”
- based on our frailties and imperfections, so when we talk about building an empathic civilization, we are not talking about utopia.”
- about the ability of human beings to show solidarity.”
Empathy Evolves
- There was no such thing as Germany, there was no such thing as France. These are fictions but they allow us to extend our families so that we can have loyalties and identities based on the new complex energy communication revolutions we have that annihilate time and space.”
- Is it really a big stretch to imagine the new technologies allowing us to connect our empathy to the human race writ large in a single biosphere?”
Science Shows:
- All humans are soft wired with mirror neurons” meaning, “if I’m observing you – whatever it is – the same neurons will light up in me as if I’m having that experience myself.”
- We are soft wired not for aggression, violence, self-interest, utilitarianism” rather, “for sociability, attachment, affection, companionship, and the first drive is actually the drive to belong.”
- We are “soft-wired to experience another’s plight as if we are experiencing it ourselves.”
The Goal Is To:
- Begin thinking as an extended family.”
- Rethink the human narrative.”
- Bring out our core nature.”