Barack Obama Promotes a Culture of Empathy
The biggest deficit that we have in our society and in the world right now
is an empathy deficit. We are in great need of people being able to
stand in somebody else's shoes and see the world through their eyes.
And the great power of books is the capacity to take you out of yourself and
put you somewhere else. And to suddenly say, “Oh, this is what it’s like” –
maybe not perfectly – but it gives you some glimpse of “This is what it is
like to be a woman”, or “This is what it is like to be an African-American”.
Or “This is what it is like to be impoverished in India”. Or “This is what
it’s like to be in the midst of war”.
And so much of what binds us together in society and allows it to function
effectively depends on it. And so much of what is wrong with how we
interact, and so much of what is wrong with our politics has to do with the
absence of that quality. And so it’s books more than anything else that are
going to give our young people the ability to see other people. And that
then gives them the capacity to act responsibly with respect to other
people.
Building a Culture of Empathy: Mutima Imani Speech at Oscar Grant,
Oakland Rally
"for all the women in Oakland who have lost their children to gun
violence, I say we need justice, we need peace and we need healing.
And the healing starts with us becoming empathetic, - about
becoming clear about empathy. We must stand together, in each others
shoes. We have to stop letting people divide us. How did the peace
keeper become the enemy? We are not the enemy, we are here to
unite. "
"I
am calling for a change of heart, an opening of the mind, for real
empathy to happen. "
