Empathy is Trending
The term Empathy has increasingly been used in a wide variety of disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature as well as in public and political discourse. This term first appeared in the English language in 1909, when Edward Titchener derived it from the German word Einfühlung, meaning “feeling into”. Since the emergence this term, it has constantly been debated among and within disciplines to what Empathy actually encompasses. One thing is clear, and the why empathy is given much attention, is that it is a crucial component that allows humans, and some mammals, to connect and understand one another. Humans are, at a fundamental level, social creatures. Our ancestors sought community because of the safety a group provided. Scholars believe empathy played a significant role in that which has allowed for the continuation of humans as a species.
The turn of the 21st century brought with it a surge of technology which has allowed for more communication between people that has ever been seen before. The goal of this project is to examine if and how empathy is now conveyed through these new means. Does the rise in technology mean an end to empathy or have we created the ultimate empathy machine? But more importantly, what actually is empathy and how important is it’s role in today’s society.