RSA Animate - The Empathic Civilisation

Bestselling author, political adviser and social and ethical prophet Jeremy Rifkin investigates the evolution of empathy and the profound ways that it has shaped our development and our society. Taken from a lecture given by Jeremy Rifkin as part of the RSA's free public events programme.
Watch the full lecture here: http://www.thersa.org/events/video/ar...

The RSA is a 258 year-old charity devoted to creating social progress and spreading world-changing ideas. For more information about our research, RSA Animates, free events programme and 27,000 strong fellowship.
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Produced and edited by Abi Stephenson, RSA. Animation by Cognitive Media.

• Category

  News & Politics

[ActronJimmy]

So basically, a society based on money being the most important thing there is, represses empathy because it makes people with more money feel better than and more important than others. And brings on secondary things like narcissism, materialism, violence, aggression.

[answerOfstupids]

basically we have traded happiness for survival.

[blueberryblablabla86]

I'm always curious what people, like you, who scream these kind of cliché slurs actually think is a viable alternative?

[Memento Mori]

...then what?

[Justin Wheeler]

Omg your drawing is amazing. I am so jealous.

[daliadieu]

Go vegan!

[izaatmusic]

there's no empathy in this world if there's foie gras being eaten everywhere in the world..

[petarded12]

down with capitalism! 

[ActronJimmy]

No, but he mentions that we lose our natural propensity towards empathy when it is repressed by bad parenting, education systems, business practices and government. When money is more important than people, our empathy for others is decreased or repressed because sometimes making money is at the detriment of people and society. Making money regardless of who or what it hurts. Sound familiar? It's happening every second of every day.

[Mason Rogers]

He didn't mention currency once.

[rattlehead199220]

This is why I have not lost faith in humanity...