Empathy

Description

Michael Zakaras:

"In simple terms, empathy is the ability to understand the feelings and perspectives of others, and to use that understanding to guide one’s actions. We’re probably most familiar with it in our relationships with family, friends and colleagues. Empathy encourages us to look beyond ourselves and to consider those around us, and to take on new perspectives – to understand not just what someone is doing but why they are doing it. “Empathy conjures up active engagement – the willingness of an observer to become part of another’s experience and to share the feeling," says author Jeremy Rifkin. In this way it can help us to see problems with greater clarity, and to design solutions with more humility and inclusiveness. It’s the key ingredient that helps us move from working for people to working with them." (http://www.kosmosjournal.org/articles/empathy)