Monday, August 13, 2012

Culture of Empathy

I have finally taken time to look more thoroughly at a site noted in a comment to my July 25 post on compassion research. The "Culture of Empathy" site is an aggregator of resources and information about the values of empathy and compassion. It makes interesting, if a bit overwhelming, browsing. I feel like a complete trogdolyte as only now do I notice sites like CAUSES that hosts seven different empathy related causes that one can sign on to, listing the very same gentleman who commented on my post (Edwin Rutsch) as leader; or Scoop.it!, that hosts four different empathy related web based magazine hosted by, guess who?, Mr. Rutsch. Mr. Rutsch would also like you to join the Empathy Center Page on Facebook, and join him on Facebook Causes. This guy really gets around! The Culture of Empathy website lists summaries of a large number of interviews, book reviews, and conferences involving Mr. Rutsch, noting the neuroscience of empathy (things like mirror neurons, etc.), different cultural aspects of empathy, linguistics.... I guess its gotta be a good thing, but while fully thinking that my own behavior could certainly be leavened by a more empathetic bias, I'm overwhelmed by this web input to the point of inaction regarding social venues to support.
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4 comments:

  1. LCK11:26 AM

    Hi Deric,

    I share your sense of being overwhelmed by The Culture of Empathy website. In other words, I empathize with you!

    I'm a dog trainer, and a regular reader of your blog. I also write a blog for PsychologyToday.com, where I've written a number of pieces on empathy and altruism in animals, all of them very critical about how those words are being watered down and bandied about by cognitive scientists.

    For some reason, though, Edwin Rutsch, decided I would be a good candidate for an interview for his website, which we did on Friday. So I'll be among the plethora of talking heads on his website in a day or two. When I get the link, I can send it to you if you're interested. If not, I wouldn't blame you at all.

    I know you're a cat person, but here are links to some of my pieces on empathy in dogs and wolves (and one on rats).

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/my-puppy-my-self/201207/do-dogs-have-empathy-or-is-it-sixth-sense

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/my-puppy-my-self/201208/empathy-evolution-how-dogs-convert-stress-flow

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/my-puppy-my-self/201201/the-canine-human-bond-empathy-in-rats-altruism-in-wolves

    I will say in Rutsch's defense (if he needs defending) that he's interviewed some of the world's heavy hitters where empathy is concerned, including nearly author of every book on empathy written in the last 10 years.

    Thanks,

    LCK

    ReplyDelete
  2. LCK3:21 PM

    I know you were "dying" to get this link, so here it is:

    http://cultureofempathy.com/References/Experts/Others/Lee-Kelley.htm

    LCK

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous7:21 AM

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    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deric Bownds7:59 AM

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      Delete