Empathy
117 january 2008 :: lk
Bullying in schools has been epidemic and wholesale ignored. The
carryover is a large basis for the highly dysfunctional US cultural
psyche, from individual families to large corporations. Folks think,
that's just what happens ... an unchangeable bastion of ignorance and
bullying ... a place where etiquette, friendliness, hope for human
kindness are missing.
In fact, displaying friendliness puts you in a bully's radar ... a
weakness to be pounded. The smell of a higher mind ... also a threat to
be bullied down.
But, there is at long last a new study in US public schools aimed at
teaching empathy. The program brings a 4 month old into grade school on a
regular basis to establish bonding and answer questions that the children
have about how to care for and understand the child. The mother is also
part of the program and is open to any question the schoolkids come up
with. Quite a mom, that one.
This program, is a better go
than the course that required lugging a flour sack for a few weeks. That
couldn't have instilled empathy as much as acting skills.
So it's high time that the glaring lack of empathy be addressed at an
institutional level. Schools aren't doing right if kids are smart in
lessons ... but bullies in life.
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