Vision Email

Proposal for Empathy Circles with Critics of XR

Hi Rupert,

I wanted to propose that you and XR hold Empathy Circles with critics of XR, like the Policy Exchange, for example.

This would shift the form of discussion from one of competition, to one of mutual listening. XR would be modeling a more empathic way of relating. It would be modeling the Future Democracy of mutual dialogue for understanding and collaboration. This would be sure to get attention, as well as, bridge some social and political divides.

So the idea is that we invite the 2 authors, Tom Wilson and Richard Walton, from the policy Exchange who wrote the paper, "ExtremismRebellionA review of ideology and tactics" to take part in an Empathy Circle to talk about their criticisms of XR. Then you invite one other person from XR that you think would be good and I would facilitate.

If critics will not take part, then we use NVDA approaches to make a public issue of it.. For example, occupying space around their offices, etc. We say, we are willing to take part in constructive dialogue to bridge divides and they are not. We are here until they will take part in a mutually empathic dialogue.

Warmly,

Edwin

Empathy Cafe: Share Your XR Vision 2020: Wednesday March 4 and 18

We just held an Empathy Circle with Rupert Read and Skeena Rathor, discussing the 'pamphlet, 'RUSHING THE EMERGENCY, RUSHING THE REBELLION? STORY AND VISION FOR XR IN 2020' by Rupert Read, Skeena Rathor, Marc Lopatin.

They write "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

What do you think about this paper and vision?

Empathy Circle: Extinction Rebellion Vision 2020

For Video and Notes see: http://j.mp/38rj0Q4

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

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

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

What I Like about Empathy Circles - 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

What I Like about Empathy Circles - Skeena Rathor

View On Facebook or On YouTube

"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

Edwin Rutsch

Extinction Rebellion Empathy Circles Work Group

Center for Building a Culture of Empathy

Empathy Tent

Dear Rupert and Skeena

We are grateful for you having taken part in the Empathy Circle with Marta and I! It was so encouraging for us. We've posted the video and are now starting to post it on social media, etc. For the links see: http://j.mp/38rj0Q4 Empathy Circle: Extinction Rebellion Vision 2020

View Video On Facebook or On YouTube.

Next Steps: We have lots and lots of ideas of how to spread the Empathy Circle practice and Empathic Civilization in XR, and wanted to see if there are some next steps we could take together.? Let us know any ideas?

The first idea was to build on what you said Skeena and hold a series of Empathy Cafes on XR Vision 2020.

"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 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." ― Skeena Rathor

To get the ball rolling, we have scheduled two Empathy Cafes on XR Vision 2020 to co-create the story.

(Empathy Cafe is any number of people attend, then we divide into Empathy Circles of 4.)

We could imagine a growing series of these empathy circles for XR to dialogue about this. Might we work with the Vision Circle on this?