WHY EMPATHY?

ACCEPTING THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND EMBRACING THE MULTITUDES WITHIN

WHAT DETERMINES WHO WE ARE COGNITIVELY?

Family

Friends

Media

Coworkers

Life Event Experiences

Major Life Event Experiences

EACH EXPERIENCE IS A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR BELIEFS AND BIASES

The first time you held a comb against a small stream of tap water causing it to bend, and realizing how cool science could be. SCIENCE EXPLAINS LIFE

That time the church took up an offering to help your family meet the monthly bills you couldn’t because of medical expenses. GOD IS GOOD

The countless times as a kid that your family had conversations about politics, and how you didn’t care, but each time picked up a little bit more of the conversation. RONALD REAGAN WAS THE BEST PRESIDENT

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES HAPPEN EVERY DAY…

Family

Friends

Media

Coworkers

Day

…BUT FEW STAY WITH US

Family

Friends

Media

Coworkers

The Next Day

…BUT FEW STAY WITH US

Family

Friends

Media

Coworkers

The Next Week

…BUT FEW STAY WITH US

Family

Friends

Media

Coworkers

Forever

FOR EXPERIENCES TO STICK THE FIRST TIME, SOMETHING BIG MUST HAPPEN

AND WHEN SOMETHING BIG HAPPENS, MEMORIES ARE FORMED AROUND THE “ARTIFACTS” OF THAT EXPERIENCE

DEATH

THE CHAIN RESTAURANT YOU WERE EATING AT WHEN YOU FOUND OUT IS NOW TAINTED AND IMPOSSIBLE TO EAT AT

THE SPECIFIC MEAL YOU WERE EATING WHEN YOU FOUND OUT IS NOW TAINTED, REGARDLESS WHERE YOU EAT IT

FOR EXPERIENCES TO STICK THE FIRST TIME, SOMETHING BIG MUST HAPPEN

AND WHEN SOMETHING BIG HAPPENS, MEMORIES ARE FORMED AROUND THE “ARTIFACTS” OF THAT EXPERIENCE

LOVE

THE SENSATION OF THE DANCING UNDER THE STARS, BOTH SOUND AND A BREEZE BRUSHING AGAINST YOU, AS YOU HOLD THAT SOMEONE IN YOUR ARMS

THE SONG YOU WERE DANCING TO WHEN YOU WORKED UP THE COURAGE TO CLOSE IN FOR A FIRST KISS

EXPERIENCES CEMENT OUR OPINIONS ON CULTURAL TOPICS AND ESTABLISH THEIR IMPORTANCE

Topic A

Topic B

Topic C

Topic D

Topic E

Topic F

Topic G

Topic H

Topic I

Topic J

Topic K

Topic L

Topic M

Topic N

Topic O

Topic P

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Topic AAZZ

Agree Disagree Indifferent Agree Disagree Indifferent

incredibly important important

THE IDEALS YOU HOLD CONSTRUCT YOUR BELIEF GENOME Agree Disagree Indifferent

=

WITH UNLIMITED COMBINATIONS, WE’RE ALL UNIQUE As unique as our DNA, our Belief Genome is solely ours.

INFLUENCE BEGETS COHORTS, COHORTS BEGET INFLUENCE Although we are unique, we always connect and collect with others who are like us.

WE CONTAIN MULTITUDES

AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE

Every millisecond of life, has the possibility

of influencing who we are as a human.

WE STRUGGLE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER HUMANS BECAUSE WE CAN’T IMAGINE WHY THEY THINK WHAT THEY THINK

In those situations remember the Belief Genome; the thousands of large and small life experiences that inform a person’s opinions and thoughts.

And then remember your own.

When you can appreciate how the seconds, minutes, days, months and years of those

experiences differ, you’ll be able to genuinely empathize with that person.

EMPATHY DOES NOT EQUAL AGREEMENT But the foundation of all meaningful dialogue is civility and understanding. Finding solutions

to human problems necessitates empathy.

EMBRACE THE COMPLEXITY. DFTBA.