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Mar 2, 2015
"Imagining what it is like to be someone other than yourself is at the core of our humanity. It is the essence of compassion, and it is the beginning of morality." --Ian McEwan
Empathy With The Enemy
"If empathy is truly to take its place as a central value in contemporary culture," says author Roman Krznaric, "we need to put it to the test in the most difficult situations...We must extend our empathetic imaginations not just to the dispossesed or disadvantaged, but also to those whose views and actions we might oppose or disdain...That is how empathy can become both a moral guide and a basis for a philosophy of living." Roman Krznaric challenged the limits of his own empathy by visiting and opening his heart to people who he felt were responsible for immense injustices and the suffering of entire communities. What he learned about the humanity in all surprised and challenged him. Read on to learn about his courageous journey.
BE THE CHANGE
Is there someone in your life whose views and actions you oppose or disdain? Practice seeing the world through their perspective, because only when we truly understand the world through others' eyes can true progress occur.