Towards a more empathic shape of the world
Gripped by the Covid crisis, forced into lockdown, one wonders about the future shape of the world.
Attached below is an old talk by Jeremy Rifkin. Based on his book ‘The Empathic Civilisation’, this piece may offer us a window into the mindset of the world post the crisis.
“Empathy is the opposite of utopia. There isn't any empathy in heaven because there's no mortality. There's no empathy in utopia because there is no suffering. Empathy is grounded in the acknowledgement of death and the celebration of life and routing for each other to flourish and be. It's based on our frailties and our imperfections. We are homo-empathicus”
We are, as we speak, undergoing a re-wiring of our consciousness, realising we are all one, inter-connected, inter-dependent, irrespective of who we are.
It is clear now, we are mere humans; a handshake away from a virulent infection and possible death.
Coming out of this crisis, our empathy instincts are likely to be heightened.
The world caught in an empathic embrace is likely to witness the following:
- Empathy towards sustenance: We will seek afresh solutions that address our vulnerabilities for basic survival. Accessing timely medical diagnostics and aid for all, early warning systems that are not suppressed by technocrats, avoiding wastage of food and distributing it to those who need most, will all see great engagement. Personal debt and financial services will be re-looked through a human lens for exigencies; and we will see renewed vigour in improving our relationship with our biosphere.
- Empathy towards human connectedness: The lockdown which has forced us to be away from our family and friends, will make us hungry for belonging and connectedness. There will be acute emphasis on bonding. Solutions in mobility, telecom, online communing, travel and leisure will be driven by our craving for intimate connectedness and deep belonging.
- Empathy towards empowerment for all: This crisis makes painfully evident the gap between the haves and the have nots. The poor have been thrown to their fate, often dying of starvation before the virus could get to them. We will likely think of ideas to correct this imbalances. Why should only a privileged few have access to information, education, technology and means to survive and thrive?
- Empathy towards recognition of all: Witnessing scores of people suffer and perish because they were in disadvantaged tribes or nations undergoing embargoes, will makes us re-think how we marginalise our fellow beings. We are likely to see government and public policy changes in accepting everyone and ensuring no one is deprived of aid and support. We may even see ideologies of divide and hate lose their attractiveness as we realise we are all ultimately one. The pincer grip of nationalism may soften.
One knows not how things will eventually shape, but the opportunity is in our hands to build a place we want to live in. Why not build an empathic civilisation, after the crisis.
Community | Economic Development | Entrepreneurship
4 年Great article! I think the saddest thing is we needed a pandemic that kills thousands to make everyone realise we are all on the same side, the human side. I hope that when this is all over, we do learn and not quickly forget.