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.

[petarded12]

down with capitalism! 

[Matteo Bignotti]

we don't come from 2 people though....

[Joffry Arthur]

Wow great science and indeed it doesn't make sence to have religous and country empathy borders. Empathy is just something that's 'there' and available for all of us and everything. There is no you should be... and than I have empathy, that part is all made up. Made up by the same human being that that feels the urge to belong but has this hard belief that it doesn't belong! Is there an answer on how to spread this sience in such a way that it will become common ground? For all human beings?

[ActronJimmy]

Let's take Iceland for an example. They did the opposite of what the U.S. did during their financial crisis. They bailed out the people who got screwed, (empathy), and jailed the corrupt officials. This shows that they care not about money but about the unfortunate ones. The U.S. bailed out the corrupt officials, (lack of empathy), and put the burden on the people who were screwed, which shows they couldn't care less about the unfortunate ones. I could go on with examples but I have no more spac

[CopyableDrip90]

I wouldn't say so. Societies based on money have built infrastructure that allow us to extend out empathy.

[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!