Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Michael Corthell's avatar

Civilizations Built on Empathy

Many societies have incorporated empathy into their core values, fostering cooperation, humane laws, and respect for life. While no civilization is perfectly empathetic, some have emphasized compassion, justice, and ethical living more than others.

🌿 Indigenous and Tribal Societies

Many Indigenous cultures prioritize respect for all living beings.

🌎 Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) – Their philosophy of mino-bimaadiziwin ("the good life") emphasizes harmony, respect, and interconnectedness with nature.

🕊️ Buddhist Societies (Tibet, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan) – Rooted in ahimsa (non-violence) and karuṇā (compassion), these civilizations influence governance and daily life with ethical conduct.

🐾 Jainism in India – One of the strongest examples, Jainism mandates strict non-violence (ahimsa) toward all beings, even avoiding harm to insects and microorganisms.

✨ Religious and Ethical Societies

Many traditions have built foundations on compassion, though their histories are mixed in practice.

🤝 Quaker Communities – Their focus on peace, equality, and social justice influenced movements against slavery and for human rights.

🏛️ Ashoka’s Maurya Empire (India, 3rd century BCE) – Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism and established laws protecting animals, banning certain forms of slaughter, and promoting welfare for all citizens.

⚖️ Sumerian and Babylonian Legal Codes (Hammurabi’s Code, 1754 BCE) – While not always fair, these laws introduced justice systems with elements of equity and protection for the vulnerable.

🌍 Modern Attempts at Empathy-Based Societies

While modern states often fail at true empathy, some have tried.

🇩🇰 Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland) – Strong welfare states ensure citizens' well-being with social safety nets, reflecting a systemic commitment to reducing suffering.

🌿 Costa Rica – Abolished its military in 1949, redirecting funds toward education and healthcare, prioritizing well-being over warfare.

😊 Bhutan – Its Gross National Happiness index places well-being and sustainability over GDP, incorporating Buddhist principles of compassion into policy.

🤔 The Problem of Civilization Itself

While some societies promote empathy, civilization as a whole has often been built on conquest, exploitation, and hierarchy. True empathy thrives more in small, community-based systems rather than large-scale empires. Still, civilizations that integrate compassion into governance, economics, and daily life remind us that an empathetic world is possible.

Expand full comment
Anne-Marie's avatar

This paints an accurate picture of the current situation in the US government, which suffers from a terminal lack of empathy.

Expand full comment

No posts