Elections, Empathy, and Experteering

I want to thank you for reading this. Wherever you are and whatever you believe in, the news that Trump won the Presidential election in the USA took many by surprise. And if you’re looking at news and social media, I’m sure you’ve see the same things we’ve seen… scathing words from almost every audience towards every other audience.

It’s scary, confusing, and unsettling. But please, don’t withdraw. Lean in. Embrace those around you, especially those most different from you.

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.”

― James Baldwin

I want to reassure you that now, more than ever, the ideals we stand for as a diverse, global community are to be embraced and celebrated: That only by working together, accepting each other, and learning from one another can we create a healthy planet free of injustices and inequalities.

More than any other factor, a lack of empathy is what bred the type of vast misunderstandings and divisions that led to the final election results.

Wherever you are, whatever you stand for, whomever you believe in; we want you to know that we value you as a fellow global citizen, and we commit to working harder than ever to spread empathy.

So please, take the time to be empathetic, and to spread empathy. Beware of your single story. Understand what empathy truly is. Promote others to learn more about it. Avoid “empathy traps“. Practice it. And invest in giving the best of yourself in the service of others — it will build empathy in you, and in those around you.

Wherever you are, whatever skills you have, and with whatever time you have, there is a way you can extend your heart, mind, and hands in a way to help others — and build empathy in the process. Mentor a startup, volunteer in your community, donate your skills virtually, travel and go Experteering. Do something. We need you. The world needs you. And if we work together, perhaps we truly can build an empathic civilization.