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.

[Concretshky]

... I wonder if he thinks that empathy always leads to a continuation of empathic conclusions. Do environmentalists actually care about the imports of ethanol that causes starvation in South America and Africa? And the profits of chair-members? Otherwise the whole point seems corrupted, and just in order to indulge in some utilitarian social stratification, which is obvious when just the idea of "empathic civilization" is explained. I mean at the end of the day, it's just ideology.

[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...

[answerOfstupids]

basically we have traded happiness for survival.

[Sam Sung]

LOL

[Lucas Hanson]

go to *souldip.com* for further info