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How Technology is Helping Build Empathetic Societies

Posted on February 3, 2023

Technology has become integral to our lives in today’s fast-paced world. Smartphones to social media, our ways of communication, connection and interaction have been revolutionised. There is some research to highlight how tech hinders the way we empathise or the fact that the internet desensitises therefore decreasing our empathy. I agree, technology is indeed having an unfavourable impact on human connection, I’d like to still look on the bright side of things.

There is immense potential in technology to foster empathy and build compassionate societies. Contrary to common notion that emerging technologies may demolish our sense of humanity, tech and empathy seem to be a two-way street, where technology is driven by empathy, and also aids in the creation of a more empathetic society.

  1. Apps Supporting Individual Well-being

    • Mental health and well-being continue to be an essential aspect of building empathetic societies. Technology is finding its way in building individual empathy through the use of mobile apps and platforms. A plethora of apps out there like Action for Happiness, Insight Timer, Heartsapp, Calm, Sattva, etc., offer affordable mental health resources, including life coaching, therapy, meditation, and self-care tools. WhatsApp has also become a space where communities of well-being are thriving, in a well moderated and supportive way.
  2. Gaming as a rising platform for empathy

    • Games give purpose. People who design games, also have the ability to make real life better for as many people as possible by promoting empathy through game design. This TED talk by Jane McGonigal, a game designer, is a perfect example to show how gamification can help make the world a better place. Did we even imagine some decades ago that compassion and kindness could flow out of a computer game?
  3. News media isn’t left behind

    • My nursery teacher and mentor regularly reminds us how she has stopped reading the papers owing to negative news across every page. Technology has enabled positive news portals to bring in a breath of fresh air with a deliberate highlight on the ‘good things around’. Websites like thebetterindia.com, and influencers like Nas Daily and Vishen Lakhiani bring more than a full-course meal in human development to those who seek it.
  4. (Virtual) Reality Empathy

    • Virtual reality and mixed reality are leading forces across industries. I remember the time when the Social Service League at my alma mater, St. Xavier’s College conducted an immersion experience for students to feel and live like a visually impaired individual – so we could put ourselves in their shoes and truly empathise. What is a virtual reality experience if not this very one!
      VR is helping people understand challenges faced by the specially abled, refugees, and the marginalised through simulations, so they can develop greater empathy and understanding.

This is not a conclusive list, and there are more. Emotion-enabled smart glasses, AI-enabled sensors, automated stress detectors, targeted emotional analysis systems, and many more. I am not arguing that empathy doesn’t need face-to-face interaction, but I am not denying either that technology is a great enabler in rebooting us as empathetic societies.

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