Building a Culture of Empathy and Compassion in and with the Occupy Movement
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The Occupy Movement is stirring up conflicts not only with the mainstream culture but also within itself. This conflict is not unusual and can be handled in ways that can bring order, meaning, connection, transparency, and well-being to those involved. In order for the movement to be consistent with its mission of being inclusive and giving voice to the oppressed, it is proposed that those involved and impacted by the movement move towards articulating it's values.

Proposal:
Empathy be adopted as a guiding value of the occupy movement. This proposal outlines a systemic formula for developing empathic (compassionate) connection for those involved in, and impacted by, the Occupy Wall Street movement. That occupy advocate for transforming society and raising the level of empathy and compassion throughout all parts of the culture. This vision is captured and expressed in this video.

Occupy Wall St - The Revolution Is Love 

Project: Occupy Empathy Conference

Let's start a series of in person and online panel discussion about How to Build a Culture of Empathy with the Occupy Movement? It will be a sub conference of the Conference on: How to Build a Culture of Empathy and Compassion?

Here's a sample panel

Panel 008-A:  How Can We Build a Culture of Empathy & Compassion with the Occupy Movement?

We pose the question and see what ideas we come up with.  We can see what ideas, objections, concerns, emphatic action, etc. come up.

Reference Links

• 100% Empathy Tent Project - Bringing empathy to Occupy Berkeley with the Empathy Tent

• Google Doc: Proposal working copy (darci version) Jan 4, 2012 - private

• Google Doc: Empathic Action Proposal (Working Copy)  - private
   

Team Members

• Darci Shaver - Portland, OR (Holland)

• Edwin Rutsch - Berkeley - Oakland, CA

• David Hazen - Eugene, OR

• Mutima Imani - Berkeley - Oakland, CA

• Syrrus Powell -  Evansville, Indiana

• Phoebe Anne Sorgen - Berkeley, CA

•  

To Do

• Create a Facebook Event for group and project

• Hold panels on: How can we Build a Culture of Empathy and Compassion with the Occupy Movement

• Mutima is checking with\ the Oakland interfaith tent group about holding a panel.

Some Ideas about what a culture of empathy might look like.

As a starting point, it's about transforming hearts and all institutions (education, movement, commerce, justice, health, corporations, media, police, military, etc.) from being cultures of fear, greed, alienation, suffering and violence, to active cultures of empathy and compassion.

• Values

  • The foundational value is empathy. It's the basis of caring, compassion, community, kindness, love, responsibility, creativity, justice, peace, empathic and collaborative action.  

  • Everyone's values are heard and acknowledged. Empathy is the means by which we see, hear, feel and connect to everyone's core values.

• Principles: What basic principles derive from empathy?

  • Do unto others as you would have them unto you.

  • Every voice is important

  • Listen to everyone to where they feel fully heard, seen and felt.

  • See the common humanity of all

  • Face fears with presence and empathy

  • etc.

• Polices

  • Polices grow out of the empathic connection between people.

  • Foster polices that create social structures that maximize connection.

  • Foster polices that maximize empathy

  • What sort of polices would we advocate for in the areas of: Education, Justice System, Government, Corporations, Media, Health Care, Immigration, Police,  Military, Commerce, Family,

  • etc.