#EmpathyDay 12th June 2018

Today is the first established Empathy Day, after it was successfully piloted last year. EmpathyLab brings out the ways in which we can all become empathetic towards others through reading and actively engaging with those around us on a daily basis as well as motivating social justice in general. For me, empathy is the basis of ethics and social philosophy. As such, it's a vital skill that everyone needs to acquire in order for society and the world at large to function for the well-being of all. Without it we become judgemental, prejudiced, selfish, disconnected from others seeing them as different from ourselves and this separation can create a climate of fear and hate.  This hurts the individuals concerned but also hurts society as a whole.

It's not just other human beings we need to be empathetic towards but also animals and nature. Wollstonecraft in her novel, The Wrongs of Woman, when discussing the tyranny of her eldest brother, wrote:

'Extreme indulgence had rendered him so selfish, that he only thought of himself; and from tormenting insects and animals, he became the despot of his brothers, and still more of his sisters.'  

(Wollstonecraft, M. 'The Wrongs of Woman Vol I' p112 in Mary and The Wrongs of Woman, Oxford World's Classics, Oxford University Press, Revised Edition 2007)       

This shows that teaching children kindness to animals will help them learn empathy towards other children and people they come into contact with in the course of their lives.

Empathy with nature is only now becoming a recognized approach to ecology. Prince Charles was aware of this way back when it was reported he talks to plants. Back then it was considered wacky but as we saw in recent TV programmes, both the Queen and Dame Judi Dench share a passion for trees. Having empathy for nature is an important environmental approach because it means both children and adults value and respect nature rather than abuse and destroy it for financial gains.

So empathy creates a kind, loving, peaceful world in which everyone and everything thrives. 

"#Empathy is not a fluffy thing, it's an essential life skill. A child with strong empathy skills will go on to be a great parent, workmate and citizen. That's why #EmpathyDay matters."

 

Miranda McKearney's twitter @MirandaMcK  at 5:50 am - 12 Jun 2018