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Radical Empathy "A Loving Person Lives in A Loving World. A Hostile Person Lives in A Hostile World. Everyone You Meet Is Your Mirror". Ken Keyes, JR

Radical empathy requires not just understanding another person's perspective but taking actions to help improve society for them and others. It encourages considering other points of view, even of those disagreed with or disliked. While no one can truly know another's exact experiences, making an effort to understand how actions and reactions are shaped by people's lives can increase compassion. Practicing radical empathy involves noticing people beyond surface attributes, questioning to understand feelings and mindsets, and being open to listening without judgment. Expanding empathy benefits both the listener and those willing to share more of their experiences.

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Yogyata Bhatt
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56 views

Radical Empathy "A Loving Person Lives in A Loving World. A Hostile Person Lives in A Hostile World. Everyone You Meet Is Your Mirror". Ken Keyes, JR

Radical empathy requires not just understanding another person's perspective but taking actions to help improve society for them and others. It encourages considering other points of view, even of those disagreed with or disliked. While no one can truly know another's exact experiences, making an effort to understand how actions and reactions are shaped by people's lives can increase compassion. Practicing radical empathy involves noticing people beyond surface attributes, questioning to understand feelings and mindsets, and being open to listening without judgment. Expanding empathy benefits both the listener and those willing to share more of their experiences.

Uploaded by

Yogyata Bhatt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Radical Empathy

“A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile


world. Everyone you meet is your mirror”. Ken Keyes, Jr.
We are once again at a moment in history where people are in the streets
calling for racial justice. George Floyd is another name in a long line of
African Americans who have lost their lives at the hands of the police, those
who are supposed to “protect and serve”. Radical empathy is moving beyond
walking in someone else’s shoes and requires taking actions that will not only
help that person but will also improve our society. Practicing radical empathy
can provide real change in people’s lives.
Don’t judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. 

You’ve probably heard that saying a hundred times, but what does it really
means? Or, more importantly, put that into practice with our practical
life? Radical empathy does exactly that it by encouraging people to actively
consider another person’s point of view even when we strongly disagree or
don’t like the person at all. Although we can never truly know what someone
else is thinking and feeling, as we don’t share their exact same memories
and experiences, making a concerted effort to understand the actions and
reactions of people can increase the levels of compassion we feel towards
them. Radical empathy isn’t only for people one might consider racist. Many
of us have internalized our oppression and developed our own biases.
Empathy is a practice, not a state of being. It is true that some people are
better able to practice empathy than others, but most people are capable of
some form of empathy. It is important to understand that having empathy is
important, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to action or change. Social justice
will not happen because we are nice to each other. It’s a period of huge
change, on the timeline of humankind, and kindness when we all are dealing
with issues of covid , global hunger, or even the poverty we all are dealing
with, understanding are more important than ever. But, at the time we need
these traits the very most, recent studies have shown that our levels
of empathy are actually declining.
It is possible to expand one’s capacity for empathy by practicing it towards
people around us, even strangers. There are people we encounter every day
who may have a different life than our own. Quickest and easiest way to
practise radical empathy is to simply put your mind to it. Take the time to
really notice people more than how they can do it also see why they did it
and imagine yourself in their shoes, and this will allow you to better connect
with how they might be feeling in a particular way or what was their mindset
when they did it. Ask questions and really  listen to the answers. If your
intuition tells you there’s something more, be open and patient and let them
know they can come to you any time for a non-judgemental ear. It’s not just
them who’ll feel better as a result. 
 

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