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Kelly P. Luc W. Adam L. Derek S. David E.

Empathy's Ever-growing Importance: At Home and Abroad

“Empathy is much more than a vocational skill necessary for surviving twenty-first century labor markets. It’s an ethic for living. It’s a means of understanding other human beings- as  [|Darwin]   and [|Ekman]  found, a universal language that connects us beyond country or culture. "Empathy makes us human. Empathy brings us joy” (Pink, A Whole New Mind pg165). Empathy plays a major role in how society behaves. It shapes opinions, beliefs, and reactions. Empathy is often-times associated with sympathy, and the two are frequently confused. Sympathy is how most people will express their empathy towards others; however, the two are not the same. While sympathy is feeling for someone, empathy is feeling //with // someone. It is the ability to relate to others through thoughts, feelings, or experiences that have occurred at a personal level. Someone who has felt a certain feeling in the past- pain, sorrow, regret, joy, excitement, anxiety, and so on, will know how someone else in the midst of one of those emotions is reacting and will able to connect with them. Empathetic people express themselves in many ways, as well. An [|extrovert] expressing empathy might talk with someone; explain the personal connection with that person, while an [|introvert] might express their empathy towards someone in a more subtle way- such as a physical reaction (a handshake or hug.) With empathy, people are able to relate to situations that someone else is experiencing, making a personal connection and being able to feel for the individual increasing their emotional capacity, or [|emotional intelligence] . Emotional intelligence helps a person to recognize, access, and manage their emotions. A person that has experienced a wide variety of emotions throughout their life will have a considerably larger emotional intelligence capacity than someone who has not felt as many emotions. The more emotional intelligence someone has, the more empathetic that person will be. Empathy helps someone develop a sense of the world and the people living in it. It helps an individual understand and respect someone else’s perspective and views. Though some people think that empathy is not needed, it is sympathy that matters, and that understanding a side of someone is not needed. It is common belief that it is sympathy that really matters when communicating feelings from person to person. But it truly is empathy that makes the connection one of moral respect. It is more often than not someone’s empathetic nature, in fact, that shapes sympathy. Even though some traits prove to be more important than empathy in different situations, it proves to be a considerably important attribute in today’s world. Even in Daniel Pink’s novel, A Whole New Mind, empathy is depicted as an important sense needed to help people transfer into a society of mostly [|right-brained] techniques and thinking. It is one of the “Six Senses”, according to Pink, that will be most effective with the transition our modern society is going through, a transition into the [|Conceptual Age] - an age that relates more to the creative and sensitive side of people, versus one of logic and understanding (as our society has functioned in the past.) The book //A Whole New Mind //  , written by Daniel Pink, supports how empathy proves to be of ever expanding importance in today’s current society through business, social interaction, and education.

Out of all the areas in modern day society where empathy is applicable, perhaps one of the most important is business. One major aspect of empathy in business is advertising. Advertisers attempt to portray empathy towards the consumer. As stated by the College Brand Index, "'As we enter a new decade, many of the traditional advertising vehicles and methods are woefully outdated, and everyone, from small businesses to multi-national corporations, is looking for the 'silver bullet' to reach their audiences. In 2010, that silver bullet will be 'empathetic advertising'" (College Brand Index). Empathy, this so-called silver bullet, demonstrates how companies need to evolve and adapt to the modern consumer. The modern consumer has seen every advertising technique there is, and companies need something new and effective. [|Empathy] is the new thing that so many companies have been looking for, and it has become very apparent in the advertising industry. A myriad of different insurance agencies attempt to portray their own empathy into the minds of their customers. They try to show that the care of the consumer is their number one priority. One common example is the State Farm slogan, “Like a good neighbor, [|State Farm] is there” (State Farm). This slogan attempts to relate to the client’s personal life, it tries to show the client that they will care for them, like someone close to them. Companies, corporations, and businesses have realized the importance of relating to their consumers to create a better connection and to make a better profit. By forming good ideas that relate to other people, they have created a comfortable atmosphere that makes the consumer more eager to buy. Empathy is also prevalent through the medical field of business. It is important for the doctor to be on a personal level with the patient and to understand not just their ailment, but to have the ability to have the ability to place themselves in their patient’s shoes. A majority of people would rather be with a doctor that not only cares and [|treats] them but feels for them and hopes for the best. Many doctors in this era simply treat their patients and send them on their way. They do not care for the outcome of the treatment; they make no real connection with the patient. Empathy in medicine needs to be applied to individual treatment options. If a doctor was able to appreciate and comprehend the personal side of the patient, they could form the best possible option for the patient’s treatment. However, there is another predicament involved with empathy; technology. Business plays a role in technology and tends to rely on this a vast amount of time. This seems to be fine, however; technology cannot express empathy like humans can (however, scientists and computer engineers are trying hard to create the first truly empathetic machine.) So this puts even more pressure on today's businesses. Businesses are finding new ways to reach the consumer, one of them being empathy."In the process, a critical factor gets left out of the conversation: empathy, the ability to see the world through the eyes of another person" (Patnaik). Reaching out to others and feeling what they feel helps people and businesses to help relate. They can make a more suitable environment for reaching out. Empathy helps others create a more comfortable speaking atmosphere. The ability for businesses to improve their empathetic nature helps consumers feel more at home and peaceful. Empathy plays a major role in business, in both the advertising and medical industries. It is used to relate to a consumer to give a feeling of sincerity and safety. It is used to comfort and to entice, to relate to a person’s individual ideals and create an environment of understanding. 

Social interaction is a major part of society that applies to empathy. <span style="msoansilanguage: EN-US; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;">[|Parenting] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> through empathy is key to maintaining a solid relationship in families. Most children look up to their parents, and if they do not, they still learn by watching them. Parents need to teach their children empathy, to help them <span style="msoansilanguage: EN-US; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;">[|mature] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">. "Three studies that relate parental empathy to the child's adjustment and personality characteristics, including empathy in the child, are then examined. The first study focuses on parent and child correlates of parental empathy with elementary-aged children. The second study concerns the same relationships in younger samples, and the third examines the relationships of maternal behavior and empathy to preschool children's empathy" (ERIC). Parents need to understand that children go through a lot during their life. Although they may have gone through some of the same things, they need to know that they will not always know exactly how their child feels. This will help them feel for their child. Even if the children didn't appreciate the parents relating to them and telling <span style="msoansilanguage: EN-US; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;">[|stories] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, in the long run, the child will most likely remember the story and the fact that they can have someone to talk to if they are over  <span style="msoansilanguage: EN-US; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;">[|stressing] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> about it. Children also have to be empathetic to their parents. Children have not gone through as much as their parents, so being empathetic to them may require more work even though they are more naturally empathetic. "Children between the ages of seven and 12 appear to be naturally inclined to feel empathy for others in pain"(Science). When kids see their parents, or elders, in pain, they have more empathy toward them when they are younger. As they mature, the natural sense of empathy will grow along with the children’s <span style="msoansilanguage: EN-US; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;">[|experiences] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">. Empathy through social interaction also relates to men and woman. Recent studies show that women are usually a bit more empathetic than men are. "T<span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-width: 1pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">hus, females showed the brain responses of empathy regardless of their moral judgment of the employees' social behavior, whereas the men's brain responses were conditional upon how fairly the employee had played" (Scienceblogs). In this study, the scientists had some people fake being hurt, while others really were hurt. Women still felt empathy to those who were not hurt, while men realized that they were not really hurt and did not feel empathy toward them. Men and women also need to be empathetic to each other. Both genders go through different things, which can be hard to relate to, but it still can be achieved. Empathy is an important sense to have while dealing with social interaction for men, women, parents, and children.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Education is another field of society in which empathy is very important and applicable. Empathy in education involves both teachers showing empathy towards students as well as teaching students about empathy and how to be empathetic towards others. Empathy in teaching is very important. It is important for teachers to know about how their students learn as well as knowing when a student must be taught individually to fit that student's needs. A major aspect of education in which empathy is relevant is in [|1 on 1 teaching] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">. "Empathy entails a different kind of learning. Just reading textbooks won't develop this skill. Nor is it a visual-motor skill, like getting the knack in golfing or basketball. Nor is empathy a matter of simple good will, caring, or an intention to be sensitive" (Arts in Medicine). If more students are taught individually, then their individual needs can be met and the student can move at whatever pace is best for them. This allows teachers to view how the student is thinking and better understand how they learn. This concept is more important today than ever, and schools must work on " <span style="color: #2c2c29; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">preparing students for the 21st century through a 1:1 initiative"(Moving at the speed of creativity). <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Although this concept of 1 on 1 teaching is impractical on a large scale for every student because of cost, schools and teachers should still give effort to notice students that either move at a faster pace than the rest of the students, or students that work at a slower pace and may need extra help. This allows education to be the most efficient that it can be, and it allows students to become all that they can to take on our rapidly changing society. Empathy can also be applied to education by directly [|teaching students about empathy]itself. Empathy among students will lead to a decrease in bullying and harassment of other students. " <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Many urban districts have found empathy workshops and curriculums help curb fighting and other misbehavior"(The New York Times). <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Learning about empathy also prepares students for the real world in which empathy is becoming more and more important. Before students can apply and use empathy in occupations such as those in [|government], education, or the [|medical field], they must learn about empathy in the classroom. They must know when it must be used and how important it is. Although some people are born with a larger sense of empathy that others, a sense of empathy can still be shaped to some extent. As Mr. Pink spoke of in his Skype discussion with the 9th grade English honors students, everyone is born with a scale of empathy. For example, one might be born with an empathy scale, out of 100, from 40-60. If this person grew up in an environment which valued empathy, this person might grow up to have an empathy rating of 60. However, if they grew up in a harsh environment in which the value of empathy is not held high then this person might grow up to have a rating of 40. Education in schools must make students the most empathetic they can be by using the immense influence education has on students. Clearly, empathy must be given a very high priority in the field of education. It is important to show empathy towards students by manner of seeing the [|learning styles] of different students and by 1 on 1 teaching. It is also important to teach students about empathy so that they can be successful in an empathy valuing society. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

Daniel Pink proves in this book that empathy through business, [|social interaction], and education are important attributes to surviving in the new Conceptual Age. Empathy is one of the [|six senses] in which Pink mentions in his novel that are key to being successful. It is a very important tool alone, and even stronger when used in relation with the other five senses: Design, Story, Play, [|Symphony], and Meaning. "Empathy is not a stand-alone aptitude. It connects to the three high-concept, high-touch aptitudes I've already discussed" (Pink, A Whole New Mind pg168). Empathy is obviously not the only trait that is key to surviving in the new Concept Age. Daniel Pink discusses that all of the six senses used together are key to making it through the future age. Designers and story-tellers need to relate to empathy so that the messages they portray can be taken by those in which they are intended at with the most relatable context, feeling for the other designer or story-teller. Play with empathy can create the most enjoyment for every individual involved. Being able to relate to someone else and creating a peaceful atmosphere between people can create a much more enjoyable environment. Meaning and empathy are both crucial to improving life. When the two are combined, a person is able to relate to others in the hope of finding a deeper meaning to their life. Finding meaning that has relevance to someone else also helps in understanding the world and the people that live in it. Though empathy is not a stand-alone sense, it is the key to success in many areas of our current world today. Empathy is extremely relevant in business. In all medical care, advertising, and technology, this aptitude helps enhance the opinion and belief of goodwill that the clients or intended audience feel. Empathy is now looked at as the secret weapon in advertising, a power that can form opinions and shape wants and needs because it is a new technique developed with the people's viewpoints in mind. It is the key to making the medical world go round; establishing good patient to doctor is proven to help improve the patient's well-being faster than a patient who simple gives someone a prescription and sends them on their way. Creating a bond between doctors and patients leads to a happier patient and a doctor who has better knowledge of how the disease may have started and what future ideas they may share to help prevent whatever is wrong with the patient. Empathy is trait that technology that has yet to be acquired, however the technical managers and specialists are trying to find a way. But the great factor of empathy is that it is human. It cannot be done cheaper by computers; it can't be outsourced to Asia. It is something that is formed by someone based of someone else. Empathy proves to be associable in a [|parent-child relationship] as well. Parents must show love and understanding for their child, and the child must show love and comprehension for their parent’s rules. Creating this strong bond will help the child develop into a more well-rounded person who will be ready to face the challenges of the world with a small portion taken from how their parents live in the world, and correct decisions to make. Education is a field in which empathy can be more greatly associated with. Teaching student directly can help improve the empathetic levels of both the teacher and student. It creates a more comfortable environment in which both child and elder are fully aware of the other, and both get a better idea of the unique needs of the other. Though our society is starting to believe in the power of empathy in out day, it will need to be incorporated into each of these certain aspects to help jump-start the introduction into this new age, the Conceptual Age. Empathy ascertains to the truth that it is one of the most important attributes to for right brained thinkers to survive and succeed the new Conceptual Age.

The universal [|Empathy Symbol]



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