2018-12-15: Concerns

It was a great experience and one of the best thing that I actually learned is identity politics and how we need to be inclusive of all including the white population, the white citizens. We can not tend to just focus on minorities, we have to be inclusive of all if we want to create a true genuine culture of empathy for all.

Loved the experience. It certainly broadened my perspective and understanding in creating an all inclusive society. There were times where I saw how my opinions were biased and as I accepted them, I felt my heart opened up to embrace the diversity and uniqueness we all bring to the table. Empathy circle really works. Thank you Edwin for organizing it!!

― Nilang Gor

It's a very laid back atmosphere with constructive topics focusing on understanding each other, instead of heated animosity. America sure could benefit from venues like this.

It's a very laid back atmosphere with constructive topics focusing on understanding each other, instead of heated animosity. America sure could benefit from venues like this.

I learned that people who are different than me still have great intentions and everyone really just wants the best for everybody. We just have different ways of doing it.

I have to say... I really enjoyed that. So much to think about. Everyone was fantastic!!!!

Thanks for being patient!!

― JJ Brit

I always love these Empathy Circles because of the way it opens up communication. I just want to say that I really, really value having someone who has completely different views from me.

I always love these Empathy Circles because of the way it opens up communication. I just want to say that I really really value having someone who has completely different views from me. And today that would be you JJ, and I really appreciate you being here because this is were it really starts to make things happen. When we can really understand someone who completely has a different point of view. Like JJ said, understand there more similarity then differences.

― Art Burns

I always love Empathy Circles. I really think that these can change the world. That we can scale these up.

I always love Empathy Circles. I really think that these can change the world. That we can scale these up. If we can talk among each other, we can scale it up to the politicians, the pundits, to the powers that be, that came up, about the wealthy, the elites. I think we need to bring them into Empathy Circles too. I see what we are modeling as a way forward for the society and culture.

Grateful for everyone participation in the empathy circle today. As mentioned I hope that by replicating these empathy circles, having them go viral we can change society by building a culture of empathy where everyone is heard.

― Edwin Rutsch

As always I appreciate what Art and JJ said, that diversity, just being heard and understood. Today, especially I appreciated that Megan brought up a more personal experience about empathy and when it can be abused and it's not just about the politics. It's about very personal dynamics and I appreciated that.

― Lewis Brown Griggs

It gives me hope that when you really talk to other humans that you see that we have a lot more in common than differences, and there are ways forward. As long as we are talking, we will figure it out.

As my experience in the past. I had a great, deep connection in the Empathy Circle. I agree we talked about the politics of empathy circles in a way. I really appreciated it and everybody there. It gives me hope that when you really talk to other humans that you see that we have a lot more in common than differently and there are ways forward. As long as we are talking, we will figure it out.

― William Filler

We basically wove this fabric of conversation that allowed us to go really deep, in our thinking and our conversation. So I am grateful for the spaciousness of time, for a spaciousness of thought, and depth of thought.

We basically wove this fabric of conversation that allowed us to go really deep, in our thinking and our conversation. So I am grateful for the spaciousness of time, for a spaciousness of thought, and depth of thought.

― Todd Porter

You get a space where peoples ideas are not clearly formulated, you drop into this sort of collective space of negotiating the boundaries or your ideas that you haven't formulated together. And that is a nice feeling.

I done many of these and what is really nice about the process is you drop into this space of the collective. You get a space where peoples ideas are not clearly formulated, you drop into this sort of collective space of negotiating the boundaries or your ideas that you haven't formulated together. And that is a nice feeling. It's an unusual for of conversation that leads to different kinds of places than you usually get to.

― David Gottfried

I'm glad that it is a place where people can come to express their ideas and maybe some of you haven't had a chance to express these ideas in your circles. Especially with how heated things are getting. That is why we are here.

― Evan Magor

What I appreciate right now is being able to share ideas I don't necessarily have 100% articulated and that not being used against me, which so often happens in political conversations.

What I appreciate right now is being able to share ideas I don't necessarily have 100% articulated and that not being used against me, which so often happens in political conversations. if your idea are not laid out super clear then you are written off. Instead of it being collaborative. Like let's all kind of try to figure this out together, even if we are not exactly sure how to say it.

― Megan

At some point I felt really hot, like I was a bit stressed to share an idea, and I was like, 'no I'm safe in this Empathy Circle,'. I was able to share what I had to say and I felt my body relax. I think that is one of the beauty's of Empathy Circle, it is a safe place.

The thing that I appreciate about empathy circles, is I learned about identify politics, so I am going to jump on Google afterwards and do my research on that.

At some point I felt really hot, like I was a bit stressed to share an idea, and I was like, 'no I'm safe in this Empathy Circle,' and I was able to share what I had to say. And I felt my body relaxed and I think that is one of the beauty's of Empathy Circle, like it is a safe place. And we need more space like that, because that is how we are going to be able to talk to one another and come up with solutions to make a better world.

― Jessica Vogt

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