We start our lives as the whole of the universe. Reality is completely comprised of our perceptions and any “outside” object that is blocked from our senses puffs out of existence. Eventually, we learn object permanence, and we recognized that things outside us actually do exist on their own, but we are still the centre of the universe. Then our universe grows a little bit and we can relate to those closest to us and we start to look out for our tiny group. And here, unfortunately, is were too many of us stop.
Empathy is hard. Damn hard. We may well have an innate ability for it, but it is only through a great deal of instruction, practice, and nurturing that empathy can develop and extend beyond our immediate circles. The ability to understand your fellow humans, to see how we’re connected, to look beyond one’s own limited perspective – these are skills that require much honing. They need to be taught.
Here is a short documentary on an empathy class in Japan. It is amazing. These 4th graders display moments of clarity, responsibility, and understanding that outshine many adults in the world. This is an immensely important project, one that needs to be adopted by schools around the world. Grab some tissues, this one is full of all kinds of strong emotions.
14 comments
October 29, 2016 at 7:59 am
john zande
Neptune, I’m copying that first paragraph for later use. Perfectly said. Perfect!
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October 29, 2016 at 1:31 pm
Mystro
@john zande
Glad you liked it.
Neptune? Have I been promoted to god of the sea? You would think someone would have let me know.
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October 29, 2016 at 4:29 pm
Francois Tremblay
It’s not 4th graders that need empathy class.
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October 29, 2016 at 4:53 pm
Mystro
@Francois Tremblay
No? I saw a great deal of benefit. If this became a staple of education systems world over, I can only foresee good things coming of it.
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October 29, 2016 at 4:59 pm
Francois Tremblay
I’ll have to watch it and see. But I am very suspicious of such attempts at deflecting the real causes of our moral deficit.
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October 30, 2016 at 2:31 am
Mystro
@Francois Tremblay
Oh, you’re just complaining without actually knowing what you’re talking about. It makes so much sense now. I was wondering why you weren’t actually making any points.
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October 30, 2016 at 2:59 am
Francois Tremblay
Geeze. My point, already made, was that it’s not fourth graders that need empathy classes. Children already have empathy, until it’s beaten or indoctrinated out of them by adults. It’s adults that need empathy classes. Especially to teach them empathy for children.
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October 30, 2016 at 3:56 am
Mystro
@Francois Tremblay
While I’m all for more empathy in adults and for children, I see no reason to wait until adulthood to start teaching those lessons. Indeed, the more society stresses the importance of empathy at all stages of life, the more likely it is to take hold in more people as they become adults. What we teach our children greatly influences how they develop. Teaching empathy in schools will ultimately lead to more empathy in adults. Unless you have access to a magic ‘make adults empathetic’ button, in which case, by all means, press it repeatedly.
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October 30, 2016 at 4:05 am
Francois Tremblay
If I did, I would be furiously pressing it at Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton right now! lol
It’s not the children that are the problem, it’s the education system. It’s nice to teach children to stay empathic, but why not make a better education system instead?
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October 30, 2016 at 11:34 am
Mystro
@Francois Tremblay
Teach children = education.
Your comment reads like “2+2 is nice, but why not 4 instead”.
The fact you haven’t watched the video and still don’t know what you’re commenting about is still painfully obvious.
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October 31, 2016 at 1:10 pm
sepultura13
I find it fascinating that a society and culture as closed and exclusive as Japan’s is, would be successful in teaching empathy.
Being truly empathetic would mean inclusion, not exclusion, no?
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October 31, 2016 at 2:42 pm
Mystro
@sepultura13
Japan has a number of things going on that I find pretty strange. I certainly don’t feel qualified to make too many comments on their culture as a whole.
But yes, inclusion is a big part of empathy. I like the part of Mr. Kanamori’s last lesson where he talks about the effort of being understood as well as understanding others. Those efforts necessitate inclusion.
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November 2, 2016 at 7:57 pm
Francois Tremblay
I watched the movie. I thought it was pathetic. A beloved, authoritarian teacher teaching his students to respect each other, learning to defy his edicts with a trembling voice and hands outstretched. LOL!
I’ll take Summerhill School or any other freedom school any day over this sort of farce. Children don’t need to be taught empathy. Adults just need to stay out of their way and support them as equals.
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November 3, 2016 at 12:11 am
Mystro
@Francois Tremblay
Learning to respect each other is pathetic? And stay out of kids’ way? Sounds like the absentee deadbeat parent approach. Good luck with that.
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