2019-02-02 Ethics-Tactics

Empathy Cafe: Bridging Political Divides with Empathy Circles

Everyone is invited, open to all. We divide into smaller breakout rooms and Empathy Circles.

Date: Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 7 PM – 9 PM PT

(See time converter for your time zone)

Topic: Ethics and Tactics Eg How do you feel about the idea of "by any means necessary"?

Register: Facebook Event Page: You can sign up on Facebook events or just show up.

Cafe Facilitator: Meagan

Producer: David Carson

VIDEO

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FEEDBACK AND BENEFITS

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I’m always happy to be a part of a group of people who can actually talk to each other without... without becoming hostile to each other.

I’m just really happy that everybody could talk to each other and express their viewpoints and I think we need more of that with each other. And I’m always happy to be a part of a group of people who can actually talk to each other without...without becoming hostile to each other.

― Jessica

I must admit the phrase empathy tent turns off a lot of people on our side because, I think, a lot of people, they hear “sympathy tent” and that’s the last place they want to be sitting in...

Yeah, I think it went OK. I was able to get another right-winger here. I’m going to continue to work with my side. I must admit the phrase empathy tent turns off a lot of people on our side because I think a lot of people, they hear “sympathy tent” and that’s the last place they want to be sitting in and I try to explain to them how [adult?] empathy is…. I’ve gotten people on my side, last night someone got mad at me….

You mentioned earlier how you think, you’d like people on your side to stop being keyboard warriors and do something like this, and I actually called someone out that I knew this whose always sending me memes and videos and I’m like, dude, like, there’s enough memes and videos, would you like to join us and do this? And he got upset with me. He’s like “how dare you?”

He’s like “you don’t understand, I got a job.” I’m like, dude, you live in the South, it doesn’t matter. I want you to take it to the next level or stop sending me memes, you know? And uh, he got kinda upset with me. But yeah, I’m trying to get people on my side over here because we’re you know, it’s like usually more lefties than righties, so um anyway I think it went OK, that’s all.

― David

I’d like to say that I think this is a really valuable and challenging experience.

I’d like to say that I think this is a really valuable and challenging experience. I really want to thank David and Jessica because last circle I was in there wasn’t very differing views and this obviously works best when there… When we have things to work through and conflicts to resolve. It was really challenging and really rewarding. I think this is the next level of civility.

― Nicolas

That being said I love getting together and talking. It’s a lot of fun.

Sure. Yeah, I had a little big of a headache. I’ve been doing empathy circle all day. Little bit of a damper on my concentration. Sort of the technical issues is a little bit difficult with the microphones and the URLs. that adds sort of a layer of stress in the circle.

That being said I love getting together and talking. It’s a lot of fun. I keep hearing these deep insights. The things you were talking about Meagan and Corey. And everyone keeps bringing in some kind of kernel and I feel like I really learn and grow. I’m looking forward to doing more and more of these.

― Edwin

I know everyone else is feeling similar levels of discomfort. We’re all here feeling discomfort together.

I haven’t done this in a few weeks. I really liked how you put it on a spectrum from “bothered” to “disturbed”...”bu… I know everyone else is feeling similar levels of discomfort. We’re all here feeling discomfort together. I’m gonna send a link of the universal human needs list to the message thread we had going so that we can start to at least introducing the idea of other needs besides the physical basics. So Ill do that and see you guys next time.

― Corey

I really liked this call. It’s interesting. The one this morning, I wasn't feeling totally heard or i wasn’t able to articulate myself in a way where I felt heard. I also enjoyed having two different people who consider themselves more conservative. Not just avid our token right-winger and then I can see the diversity of people who identify that way too and its not like flattened.

I just feel hopeful this vision oh there’s gonna be a big really let’s set up a whole palza full of empathy tents. I mean it is a little unrealistic there’d be a lot of challenges doing that but the vision is inspiring to me The recording should be up in the group soon.

― Meagan

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