World We Dare To Imagine Post 1
“Today we are redefining the geography of community and accepting shared accountability for common human values. We have the chance to extend the notion that all men are created equal to every human being on the planet. This will require global structures and products we are only beginning to imagine.... Each of us in his or her own way can contribute something by thinking -- and acting -- like a true global citizen. We have only one world for all of us on earth, and future really is ours to create, in a world we dare to imagine together.”
I think one of the most important issues today is both communication and empathy for our fellow humans, as well as care for the future of our society. One area where I can see intersectionality is environmental sustainability.
Right now the issue of environmental sustainability has become a political one. People on both sides are arguing but they don’t seem to be communicating. No one is really listening to the other side and the points (valid or not) that they are making. As a result of this communication breakdown, I feel like this issue has become a bitter topic and progress has been gradual but slow. It seems that in a lot of cases when other people disagree with the values or beliefs of a certain group, there tends to be a lack of empathy between the two groups. Whether that be the echo chambers that have arisen due to social media and increasingly polarizing cable, it seems like our society is incredibly divided. Sides are typically painted as heroes or villains, when in reality both sides may have valid and understandable points of view.
Thinking in terms of being a global citizen, the topic of environmental sustainability is incredibly important. The fate of the human race depends on how we interact with the world around us in the next 3 decades. Right now many people, especially people of color in underdeveloped areas, are being particularly affected by the effects of climate change. From hotter temperatures, and greater pollution in water sources, to disrupted ecosystems, many individuals are feeling the pain of our climate crisis already. However, since those people are typically not us, many individuals don’t care or don’t truly feel the impact of our actions on the environment.
My first step in making the world a better place would be to somehow showcase what is happening around the world and find a way to improve empathy and communication between various people. Whether that be through social media, an innovative product, or hosted panels and events, I am not too sure. However, I think that we need something that can unify people around the world and turn individuals into global citizens.
Hi Daniel I completely agree with all of your points. Empathy and kindness is something that I always find to be lacking when someone disagrees with someone else. It would be easier to have these sorts of discussions if groups at least attempted to see the "other" point of view. I think an app is a great idea to try and engage this empathy and conversations with various people. Maybe you could do a social media campaign first to gain traction and then have an app after.
ReplyDeleteHi Daniel, I agree with your post. I really liked your comment about how sides are divided into heroes and/or villains when in reality both sides want a very similar outcome. Most 'arguments' that are derived from issues are usually not as black and white as they seem, but if a conversation is not approached with some spectrum of respect it is easy for both groups to communicate ineffectively and not see the overlap in views. I think maybe a series on social media of videos of people having a conversation with opposing views and highlighting the fact that both sides either have a similar point of view or that there is some overlap in what they want the outcome to be in order to create awareness.
ReplyDeleteHey Daniel, I enjoyed reading your posts and definitely agree with your points, particularly your point that debates surrounding environmental sustainability have failed to make any significant progress due to a lack of proper communication from both sides. I believe many of the arguments have also been politically backed, which tends to slow down progress towards fixing an issue. I agree that humans need something to unify the world and begin using social media to spread empathy and kindness, rather than a space to be self-absorbed.
ReplyDeleteHi Daniel, I also think that we are very divided on a lot of topics, and tend to argue instead of communicate. People are easily offended nowadays and it's difficult to get points across when people don't want to even listen or try to understand the other side. This goes back to individuals being selfish and not wanting to contribute when certain things are not directly affecting them. Building empathy and communication is a great way to start, but can be hard when people are stubborn or close minded. There has to be ways to educate and influence people into being more open to communicate and understand each other.
ReplyDelete