a Transcendence of Community and Nature of Empathy

As the population continuously grows, some say the presence of a community is diminishing.  This could be because of a lack of attention in technologically addicted people.  However, is there really such a thing as "technologically addicted"?  The answer may be "yes" according to Joe Garner.  He made a film experimenting with this topic called, Craigslist Joe.  In the movie, Joe says, "have we become so caught up in our  lives that we are not willing to go outside our bubble, are we less willing to see each other as neighbors?" This bubble he is referring to could perhaps be a virtual bubble?  This bubble could very well explain our addiction to technology.  If one stripped every thing

away from their life except for technology, would it still be possible to have a human connection? After doing just that for a month, Joe Garner experienced a connection with community that blew him away, "The generosity of people, and like, the stories they share and the connections I made."  There was immense emotion in his journey.   Joe used technology (Craigslist) to create a community of generous people who came together to help him go across the country.  For example, "Studies have shown that Americans spend more time with media than they do eating, sleeping and participating in family activities." Media Literacy  Human spirit is the one thing that cannot be broken.  Although it can be abused, it can also be used as a tool to help people become closer to their community.

Empathy is something that every human is capable of.  It is a feeling that makes people cringe and shriek due to others' pain or suffering.  It is amazing how all humans can quite literally feel another person's pain. "6.8 billion people, at various stages of consciousness, theological, idealogical, phycological, dramaturgical, all came from two people." Jeremy Rifkin, The Empathic Civilization.  Studies
show that all people are actually related to many of the same ancestral humans.  Interestingly, studies also show that all mammals show empathy towards different creatures.  This is caused by mirror neurons.  Most homo sapiens have them, but it was first tested on monkeys.  The following quote helps explain mirror neurons and what they do. "If I'm observing you. Your anger, your frustration, your sense of rejection, your joy, whatever it is, the same neurons will light up in me as if I'm having that experience myself." Jeremy Rifkin, The Empathic Civilization.  An example of this would be when a spider crawls up someones arm and the other person watching gets creeped out.  It is easy to take this feeling for granted because it occurs so often.  However, it can be used for good as long as people don't repress it. "Bring out our empathic sociability so we can rethink the institutions of society and prepare the groundwork for an empathic civilization." Jeremy Rifkin Empathic Civilization.  Humans naturally have been building civilization around this feeling for millenniums.  That's why empathy is one of the most amazing and incredible human traits.