Cheap vs costly empathy
#12 | 2/5/23
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Here’s some of the ways we stretch our empathy muscles over our day to day.
There’s emojis we use or receive in the multitude of messages we send and receive or see in posts; then there’s memes that we scroll through that often designed to solicit an emotional reaction; then still there’s stories, some that we read and others that we hear or watch; and lastly there’s shared experiences that we step into some voluntary and others no so much which we share across a table or in a room or with another. Some require contact, others by allow us to remain by ourselves. Each offers empathy and empathising… and some last longer than others.
We definitely have seen the moments that shared experiences yield in people’s understanding and desire to choose to turn their empathy towards compassion. These experiences are often costly in terms of the organising, the participants’ time and their involvement… but we also believe these are worth such costs.
Since Covid, we’ve been working on adapting our immersive workshops to flexi-fit much better. We’ve been continuing to adapt Desperate Journeys to run for different groups (recently with North Kent College and also with St Marks Church) and with different engagement techniques with big space and sets and also for a more seated group of participants.
One organiser shared: “Your generosity, courage and determination to share the story of 'Desperate Journey's' was truly appreciated. I have since spent time thinking about my experience of the journey and still feel very emotional about it. Once again, thank you.”
Just after Easter we presented a condensed taster of our Climate Justice immersive workshop, The High Life (and exhibited) at the Geographical Association Annual Conference to a wonderful bunch of geographers. Also designed in times of social-distancing, bubbling to be accessible to freely download and run yourself.
There was also seed planting challenge at our exhibition table and we had some great contestants and conversations.The Poverty Traps immersive workshop continue return this summer with schools (working closely with geography & service & volunteering departments). Some including full day of programmes involving complementary workshops using other Empathy Exercises and background stories from The Empathy Store partners
Some photos from #GAConf23
What we are watching, listening, reading, attending…
Some of our team recall a beautiful extract in an old English text book that left a mark about a faithful friend.
A couple of weeks ago Lewis Capildi released a song… it got us again!
Other reads, clips, podcasts, events, films from around the team
The Lightless Sky: A Twelve-Year-Old Refugee's Harrowing Escape from Afghanistan and His Extraordinary Journey Across Half the World - Gulwali Passarlay
Compassionate Leaders create Psychological Safety - by the Centre for Compassionate Leaders.
Migration and refugee crisis: charities can model a better kind of discourse by the chair of UK’s Charity Commission, Orlando Fraser, KC calls upon charities to model a better discourse.
The Bias Diagnosis - a fascinating podcast series where student doctor Ivan Beckley looks into structural bias in our medical systems.
We Refuse to be Enemies - Daoud Nasser (from Tent of Nations, Bethlehem) is speaking at a special event with Amos Trust (28th May, 2 pm, London)
When emergency responders are among the victims - Humanitarian agency GOAL reflect upon the Türkiye-Syria earthquake
training your empathy muscle
a moment to listen…
Put on another’s pair of shoes… literally… and take a walk
Empathy Museum’s excellent a Mile in my Shoes exhibition took place over Easter featuring a giant pop-up shoebox appearing in Windrush Square in Brixton highlighting the 1981 Uprising and curating a number of shoes from eye-witnesses and a chance to exchange your own shoes and put on theirs to walk a mile in them. It was a fantastic experience and method of taking in sight into a moment of history. We skated in Junior’s skates, braved Christine’s heels, tried on Sonia’s chic adidas classics and Barry’s uber-cool shoes.
Dig deeper: on BBC iPlayer 3 part series Uprising about the events surrounding the 1981 uprising.
5 ways to help …
… to build a culture of empathy
Volunteer - we really need a bunch of regular helpers (eg a few hours or more(!) a week or for our immersive workshops from time to time). Sign up to our ‘Behind the Scenes at Empathy Action’ fortnightly email for regular opportunities.
Share the news - please forward, share any social media posts (helping us trend is a great way of using the powerful word-of-mouth way to communicate.)
Introducing - we’d value an intro… to any potential vols, customers or even clients! Word of mouth is the best!
Become an Empathy Angel - monthly investors in helping build cultures of empathy … We can’t and don’t want to do this alone!
Host a coffee morning with a table of our handicrafts to sell and invite interested people to learn more and enjoy a cuppa
Thank you!