Civil Dialogue and Citizenship
Navigating Our Deepest Differences
Lesson II. What is Civil Dialogue? Let's Practice
Step 5. Debrief Empathy
Defining Empathy
Empathy is the ability to recognize, understand, and share the thoughts and feelings of another person, animal, or fictional character. It involves experiencing another person’s point of view, rather than just one’s own. Developing empathy is crucial for establishing cooperative relationships and behaving compassionately.
Debrief: Partner Exercise 1
- How did taking on your partner’s perspective make you feel?
- How did it affect your perspective when you spoke about an uncomfortable situation from your partner’s perspective?
- How can developing empathy for the thoughts and feelings of another person help create peace in society, even among deep differences?