In spiritual development and community life there’s another area that transcends hurt people. some people are biologically unable to experience empathy. This is more common than we want to acknowledge. the lack of empathy makes it particularly easy for them to operate and lead in settings that do not require emotional intelligence- finance, corporations, policing, etc. They also show up in non profits, religious communities etc and wreak havoc. the recent president is an example. therapists and experts i have talked to and read must use counter intuitive strategies with emotionally incapable individuals. healing isn’t an option so far unless a person is uniquely able to admit this condition. in village life this challenge would have found harsh community wisdoms. in our times we literally entrust our lives and operations to people with this disability. i once asked a prominent activist if we should test for EQ when hiring top leaders- she was wary. how can we talk about wider social change when we aren’t addressing this human dilemma. humans lead institutions. only humans can change them.
Thanks so much for this Cynthia. I would imagine that the folks who can't experience empathy now have been deeply hurt very early in their upbringing so they never had an opportunity to cultivate this human trait. And yes, how to work with folks who are in leadership and power and have this profound inability -- when admitting it would be difficult and actually probably impossible. I think you're right that it takes a community around them to name and share and then guide our institutions and systems so emotional intelligence becomes paramount. Thank you for bringing this core piece forward.
I concur wholeheartedly! Where you write: “Conversely, the structure of sitting in a circle, with the skillsets of speaking and listening from the heart and being present, and the mindset of every person having something of value to contribute and to learn from each other, all contribute to a culture of co-creation and collective wisdom.”--this is what happens with my co-learners in our Introduction to Restorative Practice class. It’s beautiful.
And where you write about our separation from nature, when some humans embraced the concept that nature/earth is separate, which allowed “us and them” to embed in cultures, I call that the Original Wound, that precedes the First Harm of genocide against Indigenous peoples.
In class, we recognize that hurt people hurt people and healing people extends the possibility of healing. And the tenderness of being human invites us to to meet tenderness with more tenderness.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, wisdom, and insight with us.💜
Thank you Leaf! And for sharing this with your co-learners in your Restorative Practice class. So essential to make the connections and hold it all in tenderness. <3
In spiritual development and community life there’s another area that transcends hurt people. some people are biologically unable to experience empathy. This is more common than we want to acknowledge. the lack of empathy makes it particularly easy for them to operate and lead in settings that do not require emotional intelligence- finance, corporations, policing, etc. They also show up in non profits, religious communities etc and wreak havoc. the recent president is an example. therapists and experts i have talked to and read must use counter intuitive strategies with emotionally incapable individuals. healing isn’t an option so far unless a person is uniquely able to admit this condition. in village life this challenge would have found harsh community wisdoms. in our times we literally entrust our lives and operations to people with this disability. i once asked a prominent activist if we should test for EQ when hiring top leaders- she was wary. how can we talk about wider social change when we aren’t addressing this human dilemma. humans lead institutions. only humans can change them.
Thanks so much for this Cynthia. I would imagine that the folks who can't experience empathy now have been deeply hurt very early in their upbringing so they never had an opportunity to cultivate this human trait. And yes, how to work with folks who are in leadership and power and have this profound inability -- when admitting it would be difficult and actually probably impossible. I think you're right that it takes a community around them to name and share and then guide our institutions and systems so emotional intelligence becomes paramount. Thank you for bringing this core piece forward.
I concur wholeheartedly! Where you write: “Conversely, the structure of sitting in a circle, with the skillsets of speaking and listening from the heart and being present, and the mindset of every person having something of value to contribute and to learn from each other, all contribute to a culture of co-creation and collective wisdom.”--this is what happens with my co-learners in our Introduction to Restorative Practice class. It’s beautiful.
And where you write about our separation from nature, when some humans embraced the concept that nature/earth is separate, which allowed “us and them” to embed in cultures, I call that the Original Wound, that precedes the First Harm of genocide against Indigenous peoples.
In class, we recognize that hurt people hurt people and healing people extends the possibility of healing. And the tenderness of being human invites us to to meet tenderness with more tenderness.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, wisdom, and insight with us.💜
Thank you Leaf! And for sharing this with your co-learners in your Restorative Practice class. So essential to make the connections and hold it all in tenderness. <3