From TED, Robert Wright: on the evolution of compassion; Dayananda Saraswati on the profound journey of compassion; Faisal Abdul Rauf on finding your compassion; James Forbes on compassion at the dinner table; Jackie Tabick on the balancing act of compassion; and Robert Thurman on expanding your circle of compassion. From On the Human, Dan Batson on empathic concern and altruism in humans. Can a vision of a more empathic world change the way we behave toward each other? Edward Dolnick reviews The Age of Empathy: Nature’s Lessons for a Kinder Society by Frans de Waal (and more and more and more and more and more and more). New research finds those who feel a strong connection to the natural world have a more caring attitude toward others. The idea that evolution explains selfishness well and altruism poorly is starting to stink — can we please bury it now? Noah Lederman on lessons in altruism from geneticists and baboons. A review of The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life by Piero Ferrucci. A review of On Kindness by Adam Phillips and Barbara Taylor (and more). Jonathan Zittrain on how the Internet is made up of millions of disinterested acts of kindness, curiosity and trust. A review of Why We Cooperate by Michael Tomasello. The goodness of crowds: When large numbers of people give a little, they accomplish a lot. It pays to be nice: A look at how emotions shape our economic decisions. Research suggests a genetic tendency to depression is much less likely to be realized in a culture centered on collectivistic rather than individualistic values.
