2020-02-13 Vision

Empathy Circle with Rupert Read, Skeena Rathor, Marta Costa Neto and Edwin Rutsch discussing the 'pamphlet, 'RUSHING THE EMERGENCY, RUSHING THE REBELLION? STORY AND VISION FOR XR IN 2020' by Rupert Read, Skeena Rathor, Marc Lopatin.

short url: http://j.mp/38rj0Q4

"But right now, XR is at a turning point. What happens next is its most important decision to date. It could propel us all to new heights in 2020, or see us plagued by the incoherence that many of you have been feeling since last October’s Rebellion." p. 3

Participants

  1. Rupert Read - Spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion.

  2. Skeena Rathor - Cofounder of Extinction Rebellion, XRUK Vision Circle Coordinator

  3. Edwin Rutsch - Director, Center for Building a Culture of Empathy, XR Empathy Circle Work Group

  4. Marta Costa Neto - XR Ireland, XR Empathy Circle Work Group

Empathy Circle: Extinction Rebellion Vision 2020:

View Video On Facebook or On YouTube.

Google Document

See YouTube Generated Transcripts

This is a link to the raw YouTube generated transcripts. You can help clean up the transcripts.. When you watch the video, you can follow the transcripts and create full sentences, add punctuation, etc.

Join us in the Upcoming Empathy Cafes: Share Your Vision for XR 2020 and Beyond.

Wednesday, March 4 : Empathy Cafe: Discuss XR Vision 2020

Wednesday, March 18: Empathy Cafe: Discuss XR Vision 2020

"The process was definitely more useful than I thought it would be. The non-judgement aspect was really useful. The other thing I'd like to pick up from, is what Skeena said. It's really clear that this way of proceeding can be a way of clarifying thinking. Some of my thoughts, around what we're trying to do, have really improved in the course of the last two hours. That's really interesting you know. That's really significant because that is something, if you will, that's a way you could sort of sell this to people who are quite skeptical. Who are, sort of, rationally cognitive. They might think, okay yeah it might be used psycho therapeutically to be emphasized with but you know I've got important thinking to do. What became clear to me increasingly over the course of the time we spent together, is actually this is a real way to clarify thinking.

So I'm grateful for that. " ― Rupert Read

"The process was definitely more useful than I thought it would be. The non-judgement aspect was really useful....What became clear to me increasingly over the course of the time we spent together, is actually this is a real way to clarify thinking."

― Rupert Read

Spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion

"I'm really grateful for experiencing this, as a process, but just also experiencing hearing myself and that being reflected back to me.

Clarifying my thinking through that. It's been very very useful and I'm really really grateful.

My mind is going to how can we use this in XR. Marty, you touched on if some if a political circle could model an Empathy Circle and that would have some power. It would make a statement. I'm thinking about things like that.

Also I'm thinking about how do we use Empathy Circles to create the new story and the vision? Our pamphlet isn't THE Story and THE Vision. It's a question mark around how we create it and what ingredients are in that story or might be in that story.

The reason we haven't the vision team has not written a definitive vision statement is because there isn't one vision. I think Empathy Circles could be useful in that co-creating of a story. In listening to each other's stories and yeah getting clearer about what our story is. Thank You" ― Skeena Rathor

"I'm thinking about how do we use Empathy Circles to create the new story and the vision? Our pamphlet isn't 'The Story' and 'The Vision'. It's a question mark around how we create it and what ingredients are in that story or might be in that story... I think Empathy Circles could be useful in that co-creating of a story. "

― Skeena Rathor

XR UK Vision Circle Coordinator

Video Viewer Comments From Facebook

Pauline Rutter

Thank you. Brilliant. This empathy circle and deep listening is such a valuable process. It really seems to make people pay attention to others and step out of their echo chambers. What a fantastic idea Edwin, taking empathy cafes and XR Listens to the streets. Clearly public opinion will never be fully won over on a permanent basis either to the XR three demands, its NVDAs or self organising approach to the climate and ecological catastrophe we are experiencing.

Neither will 'approval' be fully gained by a focus on XR building empathy consciousness, growing love or embracing shared vulnerability around the world. My passion for the XR movement of movements lies with its ability to embrace our differences in energy and approach, to decolonise the resources and references we use and promote and also to hand our privileged positions over to those whose voices are not typically invited to be heard (genuine handing over not tokenistic).

I ask my local group about XR single parent, XR minimum wage, XR Unions, XR environmentally deprived, XR homeless, XR Deportees? Not because these groups should be established but because our privilege, education and monocultural living mean we don't know these people well. We are not reaching out to them. We are not comfortable speaking with and listening to them unless they are on the receiving end of the charitable, health, housing, legal, educational and professional services many of us provide to them. We remain separated.

They remain on the outside quite likely to jeer at our intellectual 'vulnerable' safe space postulating. I have to ask why is it easier for many to 'empathise' with 'marginalised groups of the global south in an exotic and internationalist way but not with those marginalised groups a few streets away. The long emergency has to be made more accessible but how? We have to find the courage to connect with people where they are and how they are. But how? If we are relatively 'comfortable' in front of cameras, writing and defending publications, smiling with politicians, travelling for pleasure, attending meetings for regen or even in the arms of the police carrying us away under arrest, then we are the privileged and must use our privilege like love. But how?

XR continues to enable me to think and act and learn and grow and connect and change and cry with amazing rebels. This brings meaning, agency and power into my life. Some rebels in our group bring rage and energy and know how. Others are there to be nurtured and to belong. Please, we should be making this a bigger family that many more can belong to. But how?

April Griefsong

This is an incredibly rich and revealing conversation hosted in the Empathy Cafe with Edwin Rutsch , Marta, and our own Rupert and Skeena Rathor. I appreciated Rupert qualifying that the pamphlet under discussion, written by him and Marc and Skeena was one of personal opinion, as this is not clear in the way the pamphlet was presented - XR colours, XR graphics. My own local group shared it as a message from XR central. I have remorse that it was felt necessary to package it this way.

This discussion models the way the structure of Empathy Cafe, can promote growth in listening muscles and a much deeper understanding and sense of connection. Skeena and Rupert share courageously about their fears for the future, and wonder aloud about how best to promote this kind of open-hearted sharing within XR - how to slow down; how to listen deeply; how to shift and enrich thinking by sharing a risky conversation. Join the next one and experience the prosperity of participating in such a space - local groups would benefit greatly from exploring this form. xx