A sequence of essays: #1
- The Power of empathy
- Empathy vs. disgust
- Tribal thought vs. Technology
- Love – will power – gravity
- Build bridges not walls
Dear reader,
In the beginning of this essay, I would like to walk you through a virtual journey, a simple visualization project I created to enhance the reader’s experience. Bring two sheets of paper, place each piece on a table surface next to one another, then bring a black sharpie pen. Draw one big circle on one sheet of paper and write the word Power in capital letters. In the second sheet, draw a circle and write the word Empathy also in capital letters. After you virtually write each word on paper, intersect both pages and find the common curve created by both circles, then color this new circle purple. All within your imagination, coin both words creating the term Powerful Empathy. Now, allow me to elaborate and share my story.
I consider myself to be a humble educated woman, a global citizen. I devote my time in implementing ideas that will create efficacy, understanding, and meaning. I believe in connectivity and in sending positive powerful messages using the strong force of social media. I hold my beliefs high and I appreciate human life and innovation, I am neither a physician nor a lawyer, but I am Human. I cherish the gift of life and always strive to become a better citizen. I reflect on myself and my actions as much as I could, and I believe We – The People – are wired and destined to create favorable circumstances in transforming malice that may lie underneath the surface – to love.
I have come a very long way, to understand, to learn, to teach, to lead, to give, and to live in the present moment. I survived a massive revolution – The Arab Spring. I have witnessed crazy shit and heard even crazier stories during my lifetime. I still try to overcome stories of injustice, alienation, defeat, war, fear, and famine that has been inflicted upon loved ones and those who are close to my heart. Through this all, I believe our generation, the Millennials – Generation C – is living during the greatest times in human history; The age of digital technology, open-source, accessibility to resources, domination of WikiLeaks, and Internet transparency. There is more work required and a lot at stake here. But we will move forward and nothing or no one will stop us because we are a relentless group.
Twitter is celebrated among the most powerful tools and means of communication around the globe. In 2010, in the wake of the Arab Spring, users exposed events and atrocities of leaders by using social media outlets in order to transfer their ideas across nations creating a new wave of Powerful Empathy. Countries stood by in solidarity with one another. Internet connectivity became vital for generational awareness. Authoritarian regimes were unraveling one after the other, voices were heard on the internet loud and clear revolutionizing the streets. Users from Arab countries, Europe, and North America used Twitter along different outlets to depict the true and ugly colors of Arab regimes to the world. Arab government officials, countries like Egypt, tried to cut the internet cord, to isolate people from the use of social media, to impose tyranny, to silence, and shut-users-up. Fortunately, internet users outweighed some regimes and connectivity resumed toppling one leader after the other. Organized events and marches through social media allowed users to outline feelings of depression, injustices, fear, and people overcame this fear using the force of social media.
Five years later, our existing world is on the verge of experiencing appalling threats and crises at our hands through ranging issues of race, gender, reproductive rights, lgbtq, religion, immigration, refugee crises, segregation, economic underdevelopment, foreign policy, and climate change issues, and the list goes on. As Political Scientist Noam Chomsky describes that almost every day brings news of awful crimes, some are so heinous, so horrendous and malicious. The world is facing existential crises, and We, who are in control can never be silenced. I am confident that intelligence and receptiveness will overcome disbelief, lethargy, bias, bigotry, narrow-mindedness, and disapproval – any given day of the week – because I believe in exercising Powerful Empathy.
This message is for You. You are the storm, you are the enabler, you will become the messenger to the following generations. In the series of articles, I do not wish or intend to recapture or reanalyze or revisit the unprecedented events that took place on November 08, 2016. I will not point fingers at those who neglected their duty, or the fact that led American voters to produce the biggest upset in the history of U.S. politics. Our nation – and earth – is experiencing a strenuous outcry built by disbelief and disgust, but guess what? We are going to help and move forward and we will succeed in our special role in representing mankind’s interest in our collective future.
To be continued….
arbnyc 