“Write a short executive summary in the writing style of Mao Zedong of the most important benefits of the Empathy Circle practice as developed by Edwin Rutsch, suitable for presentations, grants, and stakeholder outreach.”
To: All Comrades, Cadres, and Stakeholders
At present, our society faces a great wind. It is the wind of polarization and discord. There are contradictions between the people, and these contradictions, if not handled correctly, turn friends into enemies and unity into chaos. To ignore this struggle is liberalism; to flee from it is cowardice. We must seize the correct method to resolve these contradictions and unite the many to defeat the few who sow division.
Comrade Edwin Rutsch has forged a new tool for this struggle: the Empathy Circle. This is not a dinner party; it is not writing an essay, or painting a picture; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained, and magnanimous. The Empathy Circle is an act of discipline. It is a structured method where one speaks and another reflects, ensuring that the voice of the speaker is truly heard. It is a mechanism to crush the habits of ignoring one another and to establish a new order of mutual understanding.
1. Transforming Antagonism into Unity (Conflict Resolution)
Contradictions among the people are non-antagonistic, but they can become antagonistic if we do not listen. The Empathy Circle applies the formula of "Unity—Criticism—Unity." By forcing the listener to reflect the speaker’s words without judgment, we strip away the paper tiger of hostility. We start from a desire for unity, resolve contradictions through active listening, and arrive at a new unity on a new basis.
2. From the Masses, To the Masses (Collective Intelligence)
The masses are the real heroes, while we ourselves are often childish and ignorant. No single leader holds all the truth. The Empathy Circle mobilizes the wisdom of the collective. It ensures that the ideas of the quietest comrade are raised up and examined. By gathering the scattered and unsystematic ideas of the group and turning them into concentrated and systematic ideas, we achieve a brilliance that no individual could achieve alone.
3. Strengthening the Backbone of the People (Psychological Safety)
A divided people are a weak people. Anxiety and isolation are the dust that accumulates when a room is not swept. The Empathy Circle sweeps this dust away. It creates a space where a comrade can speak their heart without fear of attack. This reduces the burden on the mind and strengthens the revolutionary will. When people feel heard, their spirits rise, and they are ready to march forward together.
We must not be content with old methods of shouting and debating that lead nowhere. We must be practical. We must be effective. The Empathy Circle is the correct path for building a resilient society.
We call upon all stakeholders to adopt this practice. Dare to listen. Dare to connect. Dare to build a lasting unity.
"Everything under heaven is in utter chaos; the situation is excellent for the practice of empathy."