The Age of Empathy: Building a Cooperative Society

For far too long, it has been assumed that the way to be successful is to follow the principles of the survival of the fittest. Social Darwinism, especially in the US has been the rule of thumb in politics and economics.

In his new book 'The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society' (http://www.amazon.com/The-Age-Empathy-Natures-Lessons/dp/0307407772), primatologist Frans de Waal questions this assumption and shows that our nature is not all about greed and competition and that empathy and cooperation is the social glue that holds human society together.

Many animals survive not by eliminating each other, or by keeping everything for themselves, but by cooperating and sharing. Empathy, both in animals and humans, originates in the care for the young. A female needs to respond to the care of her offspring or they will die. Social Darwinism advocates eliminating the unfit, whereas empathy advocates caring for the less fortunate. Empathy is in itself a neutral capacity which can be applied positively or negatively. (A torturer can be in tune with a victim's pain, which allows him to apply pain effectively).

When fully developed, empathy can be expanded to include other groups and even species. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly) shows that we now (at least officially), include all of humanity in our circle of empathy.

Empathy is something modern societies have lost touch with and it would benefit us to base our institutions on the concept of sharing and cooperating, rather than competing.

This meeting is a natural follow-up on our previous topic, but will focus on the societal aspect of 'empathy' and how it could become the foundation of a new, cooperative society.

Suggested listening:

Frans de Waal and 'The Age of Empathy' (http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/10/23/2009/frans-de-waal-and-the-age-of-empathy.html)

Suggested reading:

Frans de Waal on Political Apes, Science Communication, and Building a Cooperative Society (http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/primate-diaries/2011/07/11/frans-de-waal/)

The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society (http://www.amazon.com/The-Age-Empathy-Natures-Lessons/dp/0307407772)

suggested viewing:
Frans de Waal, author of The Age of Empathy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UONxT4Tb3C0)

Frans De Waal talks about Empathy with Edwin Rutsch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvSihZoAoUQ)