The War for Kindness makes a deep exploration of the element of empathy, how it manifests in society and its significance in improving human interactions across the globe. The book opens with a clear revelation of the circumstances through which empathy can materialize within societies. Jamil Zaki’s narration of his parent’s acrimonious divorce enlightens readers on the effectiveness of empathy as a dispute resolution tool (Zaki, 2019). Zaki shares critical research information regarding empathy as a human trait and the circumstances under which it can be acquired. Zaki uses clear and less complex language to highlight the competing schools of thought concerning the advancement of empathy within social environments. The book takes a mobilist approach to the understanding of empathy as a trait that is not fixed at birth but an adaptable phenomenon (Zaki, 2019). The book also incorporates a scientific analysis of the human species with a significant proportion of real-life examples of instances where the pursuit of compassion has fostered coexistence in significantly complex situations. The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World by Jamil Zaki is a crucial point of reference for advancing peaceful social coexistence.
An analysis of empathy from a psychological perspective reveals significant considerations that could foster its acquisition by individual society members. Through Zaki’s outline of the various instances that outline the triumphs of empathy, including the exploits of a neo-Nazi helping to scuttle hate groups by extracting members, the aspect of understanding becomes clear (Zaki, 2019). Empathy enhances the individual capability to understand the predicaments of others within given surroundings. This is similarly evident in the case of the Washington police and their quest to reduce violence within their jurisdiction through a culture change (Zaki, 2019). The assertion on enhanced understanding is backed by the social psychological principles on Attitude Change Conformity. The principle refers to the change or modification of individual attitudes and behavior to comply with specific social influences or societal pressure (McCutcheon et al., 2014). According to this principle, human beings tend to alter their behavior and tendencies to match specific norms and societal considerations (McCutcheon et al., 2014). Individuals may be motivated to alter their behavior or attitude from what could be socially acceptable to bad or the inverse. Additionally, individuals who might have held neutral positions on given societal issues may acquire a negative or positive position as part of the Attitude Change Conformity phenomenon (McCutcheon et al., 2014). This is best exemplified by the neo-Nazi account narrated by Zaki.
Cyberbullying continues to devastate the lives of millions of people across the globe, with dire consequences to the growing population of youth who lose their lives to suicides linked to this social vice. The manifestation of cyberbullying stems from the lack of empathy among perpetrators and their subsequent incapability to understand the predicaments of their attack subjects. Consequently, the information on empathy and how it can be acquired, as illustrated by Zaki, would be of significant benefit to this group of social misfits who prey on the misfortunes of others to launch demeaning virtual attacks. The implementation of Zaki’s suggestions would, therefore, help to reduce hostilities on the internet for suitable coexistence.
While the book may be considered as a rousing appeal to audiences to incorporate the aspect of empathy in their daily life, its conclusion offers little insights on a specific action plan towards the same. Zaki presents a compelling argument on the importance of empathy in societies. The book utilizes research to reinforce the author’s assertions on the role of empathy in improving societal interactions. In conclusion, Zaki’s recount of instances where empathy triumphed over adversity similarly enhances the book’s presentation of the subject matter.
References
McCutcheon, L. E., Bartels, J. E., Hackney, A., Hart, J., & Rauch, S. M. (2014). Social psychology for today’s world. Psychology Faculty Publications.
Zaki, J. (2019). War for kindness: Building empathy in a fractured world. Crown/Archetype.