In search of empathy - By Humane Education

In search of EMPATHY

by

Would animal abuse concern us more, if we knew the damage it can do to the emotional development of our children?

Ground-breaking research in “The Link between Animal Abuse and Human Violence”

gives insight into …

‌ the domino effect of animal abuse.

Synonyms: Chain reaction Knock-on effect Slippery slope Vicious circle Antonym: Indifference

The domino effect is the consequence of one event setting off a chain of similar events.

The process begins when children, who are repeatedly exposed to animal suffering become

desensitised.

Desensitisation is a loss of feeling.

Children become indifferent to the suffering they witness.

The next step is when children become accustomed to the suffering.

This is called habituation

Habituation to neglect and cruelty means that it has become routine and a “normal� part of their lives.

Desensitisation and habituation directly oppose the crucial development in early childhood of ‌

‌empathy

Empathy is the ability to feel someone else’s pain.

It is the precursor to sympathy.

Research shows we are born with the capacity for empathy and even young infants demonstrate it.

Empathy is an indicator of

healthy emotional development.

However, we lose this gift if it is not nurtured and encouraged because children develop principally according to what they are taught.

If they are taught that neglect and cruelty are ‘normal’, the gift of empathy begins to erode.

Empathy is believed to be the

vital ingredient

‌ upon which socially competent, cohesive, integrated, cooperative, sustainable and peaceful communities are built.

It is the glue that holds human society together.

However, the natural development of empathy ‌

‌ is thwarted by the process of

desensitization.

Loss of empathy

stunts

‌ a child’s emotional development so that his/her potential to become an emotionally mature adult, is not realised.

Many scientists now believe that this damage to the emotional development of a child ‌

‌ is a form of child-abuse.

Adults who are under-developed emotionally ‌

‌ will more readily resort to violence to resolve problems.

Multi-award winning Cambridge psychologist, Professor Simon Baron-Cohen suggests that …

… loss of empathy is the

‘root of all evil’.

“Instead of talking about ‘evil’ ,we should talk about the …

... absence of empathy.”

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

“Empathy is the most

valuable social resource in our world...

... It is puzzling that in school or parenting curricula, empathy figures hardly at all.�

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

“Empathy is like a ‘dimmer switch’ with a spectrum from low to medium to high.

When empathy is dimmed, it causes us to think only of our own interests. When we are solely in the ‘I’ mode, our empathy is switched off.”

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

“With empathy …

… we have a resource to resolve conflict, increase community cohesion, and dissolve another person’s pain.”

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

“It relates to the

health of our communities…

… be they small like families or big like nations.”

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

“Without empathy …

… we risk the breakdown of relationships, become capable of hurting others, and cause conflict.

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

“The erosion of empathy …

… is a critical global issue of our time.”

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

Absolute loss of empathy Is too horrific to contemplate …

“we are reminded of Ian Kershaw’s chilling phrase: the path to Auschwitz was paved with indifference.”

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

Phil Arkow, author of “Child Abuse, Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse” and Coordinator in the USA of the National Resource Center on

The Link between Animal Abuse and Human Violence …

… is seen here at a London conference together with South African Humane Education specialist teacher Vivienne Rutgers.

Research shows that animals are usually the first to exhibit

our loss of empathy

“What should be seen as a red flag or warning marker, is readily dismissed as ‘oh well, boys will be boys’ or ‘it’s only a dog, what's the big deal?’ ”says Arkow Phil Arkow

How do we create an environment that supports the development of

EMPATHY?

Professor Kai Horsthemke (University of the Witwatersrand) believes that Humane Education holds the key.

He says we need to teach our children...

• Justice, not just

kindness

• Respect, not just

• Rights, not just

compassion

protection

It is these principles that underpin our programme

is the umbrella organisation for

and is the official representative of

South Africa