Craigslist Joe & The Emphatic Civilization

Joseph Garner does an experiment to test the empathy and willingness to help others people have. Technology can either amplify or discourage it. "As a country we're wealthy, diverse and technology sophisticated yet some say we lost the sense of community." (Craigslist Joe) With easy access to technology many think that society loses what brings people together. People can connect online and the idea of connecting in person becomes abnormal. Before his experience Joe says "it can be hard to relate to the struggles around me" (Craigslist Joe). Technology can transport one anywhere, but as a result one gets farther from where they actually are. People lose the sense of community and interaction among people in person. Afterwards Joe describes the experience as "Truly inspiring on humanity to know that we can take care of each other" (Craigslist Joe). When technology is out of the picture and people are forced to interact with each other, a different form of connection is made. They connect on an emotional level and therefore feel the need to help and support one another.

In The Emphatic Civilization Jeremy Rifkin talks about empathy and how it is shared among people. Jeremy says "empathy is what allows us to stretch our sensibility with another so we can cohere in larger social units" (The Emphatic Civilization). Empathy connects us to each other and brings people together with a sense of community. Technology has given people the opportunity to connect on a larger scale. "can we connect our empathy to a single race writ large in a single biosphere" (The Emphatic Civilization). Empathy is being stretched and reaching people one would have no chance of interaction with if not of technology. Jeremy says "we have the technology to think universally as a family" (The Emphatic Civilization).  Technology can connect people on a larger scale and give them the sense of community across the world. These sense of community promotes empathy and brings it worldwide as well.