Empathy and Human Evolution

 " Empathy is the invisible hand.  Empathy is what allows us to stretch our sensibility to another so we can cohere in larger social units.  To empathize is to civilize.  To civilize is to empathize."

Here's a beautiful short video about empathy and human evolution.  On so many levels, from mythology to archeology to evolutionary biology we've been long conditioned to think that war, competition, intellect over "lower (feminine)" emotional intelligence, and individualism over the need to cooperate and belong........is the way it's always been.  It's just not true.  Rifkin explores a hopeful argument of human  evolution as the development of empathy in pre-history from small family units to the possible evolution, now, of a global civilization and global empathy.   I think of  the vision of "Motherworld" that Kathy Jones and the Goddess Temple of Glastonbury.  Certainly I agree that the next evolutionary step will not be an intellectual one, so much as an empathic evolution, a capacity to not only "see", but to truly "feel" our interconnectedness and interdependency.  The "New Age" begins with revaluing, and continually evolving, the capacity for Empathy, not just with other human beings, but with the entire planet. 

"Bestselling author and ethical prophet Jeremy Rifkin investigates the evolution of empathy and the profound ways that it has shaped our development and our society. Taken from a lecture given by Jeremy Rifkin as part of the RSA's free public events programme.  The RSA is devoted to creating social progress and spreading world-changing ideas. Find out more at http://www.thersa.org .
Produced and edited by Abi Stephenson, RSA. Animation by Cognitive Media.

http://youtu.be/l7AWnfFRc7g