Hope Tank on Empathy
with Michael Nagler @ Metta Center
Video taped on 2010-01-08

This video is a group discussion on empathy at the Metta Center for Nonviolence weekly Hope Tank with Michael Nagler. The center is located in Berkeley, California.
 

Hope Tank on Empathy - Michael Nagler @ Metta Center from Edwin Rutsch on Vimeo

Overview

• Introductions, names

• 00:01:00: Greek origin and etymology of the word - Empathy

  • meant physical passion - doctors described it.

  • What does it do for us?

    • pathe - means experience, feel, or undergo

  • to in feel - feel what another person is feeling

• 00:07:00: feeling empathy to other forms of life

• 00:07:30: mental states that bring people together or apart

  • empathy is a unifying emotion

  • reunions

• 00:09:00: mirror neurons studies - and torturers

  • empathy is not perfect unity

  • is resonating with unity

  • following the trail of empathy we can get to unity

• 00:00:11: even to feel the pain of another person is a positive growing experience

  • joy shared is doubled, pain shared is halved

  • negative and positive states

• 00:14:00:  Progressive and higher levels of consciousness

  • need to develop understanding

  • see with the eyes of compassion

• 00:16:45:  have tenderness with your honesty

• 00:17:00:  should we always tell the truth? with kindness

• 00:18:00: better to have empathy than a truth

  • restorative circles and reflection

  • unifying versus division

  • telling the truth - being with them

• 00:20:40:  going to interview republicans at CA GOP conventions

• 00:22:40 denial and pain

  • gang members have empathy for members

  • we are driven to seek unity

• 00:24:50:  conservative mind - how to frame empathy?

  • security

  • pioneer mentality

  • dog eat dog world

  • me and my....

  • talk about empathy and relationship to inner crowed

  • talk to the persons empathy

  • fear of empathy existing

    • the welfare state - my money given to the welfare state

    • undermines the world view.

• 00:31:30: living in a capitalist society

  • not capitalist but a system that hurts people

  • the system is so ingrained - difficult to change

• 00:034:00:  conservative convention

  • is all about nonviolence

  • see everyone as human beings

  • increasing circles of compassion

  • qualitative changes - love that depends on exclusion of others.

• 00:37:00:  George Lakoff - conservative strict father - progressive nurturing mother

  • is not black and white

  • appeal to the nurture

  • we have different stories covering up our recognition of unity

  • awakening an empathic connection

  • appeal to empathy with conservatives

  • can appeal to logic

    • logic is an excuse to be more empathic

  • go along with what works

  • Nonviolence and mirror neurons

• 00:42:00: Pains me to see progressives judging the judgers

  • can us strategy and logic

  • can use example

  • be an example of empathy you show empathy

  • seen it in own family

  • can be it and explain it, do it at 2 levels

• 00:44:30: About mirror neurons

  • Feel others - pick up each others mental states

  • Sciences and spiritual masters both agree now

  • there is a neurological connection between people

  • Science is now helpful - in creating a story of the world

    • before said life was separate - materialistic.

    • science now showing connection

    • mirror neurons shows our connection

    • about mirror neurons

• 00:52:30: Watching skateboarding videos

  • is a mirror neuron example

  • she could feel the skateboarders crashing and burning

  • another story watching downhill skiing - he twitches and feels it

  • high performance athletes - learning by watching

• 00:58:00: story of playing musical chairs and reading intention

• 00:58:30: empathy and inner states

  • connecting at an emotional state

  • mirror neurons is not the whole story

  • other layers or empathy

  • Greenwich village story and a fight

    • breaking up the fight - 'don't do that'

    • then wave of fear

    • nonviolence: deeper level wants to be able to do this without fear at all times

• 01:03:45: deaf people listening with the eyes

  • listening

  • looking people in the eyes, looking past the hate

  • let people see past the fear in yourself

  • 'I'll try to love you'

  • 'I love you' can be over used

  • how to reach various people - conservative mind set

  • connect to love

• 01:09:20: I have issue of anger

  • before was using logic - now will use more empathy in this situation.

• 01:11:40:  Whammm

  • Ghandi - angry and softening up

• 01:15:00:  end