EMPATHY

The Summer Letters – A Reflection by Sergio Bambaren

What Is Empathy?

If we look for a meaning of the word empathy, a good description would be:

“The ability to understand and share the feelings of others.“

Why Are We Losing It?

Modern life, with its focus on technology and individualistic pursuits, has led to a decline in empathy and the ability to connect with others on a meaningful level. Instead of helping each other, we compete with each other. Instead of feeling sadness for others who are suffering, and doing something about it, we have become totally indifferent to their suffering. Yes, it’s true that at the beginning we can feel sorry for these individuals, but sooner or later the world moves so fast that we barely remember their suffering, as we are so busy dealing with our own problems. We don’t walk anymore: we run all day, doing “important” things that will add little to our growth as human beings.

Survival Mode and the Virtual Trap

When Individuals or groups are treated as less than human, it can lead to a loss of empathy and a disregard for their well-being. We are bombarded everyday with news of new wars and human atrocities that affect us deeply. Yet, our instinct of survival makes us “block” these issues in order to survive. We don’t take action anymore. We just use viral networks to share our sadness. But the virtual world is not the real world. It will never be.

Finally, after we pass hours and hours in our cellphones and laptops watching these awful stories, our brain stops thinking about these tragedies, and places itself in a mode of survival. Moreover, these pressures of modern life can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and a diminished capacity for empathy and compassion.

Can We Learn from the Past?

It is very difficult to know what the future may bring. But if we see in retrospective what history shows us, we can conclude that the human race has never learn from their past mistakes, and in a world where technology plays such an important role, the future doesn’t look bright. We are making the same mistakes of the past, but with the available technology that we have nowadays, we are getting to a point of no return from which it will be very difficult to get back to our human roots. Without even noticing, we are starting to behave like robots, which is the new technology that could erase our behavior as human beings.

For giving without asking for anything in return will always be the best gift you can get.

– Sergio Bambaren

Choose Empathy – Every Day

Do we want this for our future and the future of our kids? Definitely not. So, let’s be empathic with others: for giving without asking for anything in return will always be the best gift you can get. Try it! It will make you feel truly good. Be empathic. Care for others. You won’t regret it!

A dreamer …

Be empathic. Care for others. You won’t regret it!

– Sergio Bambaren

With gratitude, Sergio Bambarén