The empathic civilization

    November 11, 2010

    We humans can’t help but empathize. It’s in our DNA. And new research shows that we are evolving to empathize on a global level. This is particularly encouraging, as economist Jeremy Rifkin points out in the above video, because it may be the key to our salvation from such things as war and environmental destruction.

    Rifkin is the founder of The Foundation on Economic Trends and together with the Royal Society of Arts and Cognitive Media, he created this great illustrated video that explains how emotion has evolved over time. (h/t Yes! Magazine)

    Bryan Farrell is the co-founder and editor of Waging Nonviolence. He also hosts and produces the podcast, City of Refuge. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Nation, Mother Jones, Slate, Grist and Earth Island Journal.

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