Radical Empathy

Sociology is the study of the invisible forces that shape individuals. Sam Richards explains that the only way to understand how those invisible forces shape us is by empathy. In this talk, he invites the audience to step into the perceptual shoes of the ordinary average Muslim living in the Middle East, experiencing the effects of America coming after your oil. That’s just one example of how the same situation can look so radically different according to the shoes you’re wearing when you look. But how could you use radical empathy in your own life? If there is someone you are absolutely locking heads with and can’t find a way to get along with for any reason, literally step into their shoes and talk about how things look from their perspective. Write it out in a letter or actually stand and talk as they would. Do this with one hundred per cent commitment and you will end up with a far greater understanding of what makes them tick, and also a few more insights into how to build a bridge to them that you didn’t have before.