Does anyone remember throughout elementary and middle school during the anti-bullying campaigns constantly hearing that we need to “put ourselves in another person’s shoes”? Then there was always that one kid who went, “what if they have huge feet” and the whole 6th grade class cracked up without understanding at all what the teacher meant by that phrase.
Even if I did not really understand it back then, now I relate it to “empathy,” another phrase that we hear everywhere, on the lips of political activists, motivational speakers, scientists, and business leaders. Empathy is emotionally understanding what another person is experiencing. There is a power in being empathetic, and I would argue that it is the most important trait that someone can possess. Empathy is about feeling what someone else is feeling, which is definitely not always easy.
I would say there is definitely a lack of empathy and understanding in our current political and social climate. With cancel culture, people are so quick to write off someone as immoral without understanding their point of view. Within a very divisive political party system, individuals refuse to listen to someone else if they are on the “opposite” side of them. Many wealthy people label those in need as lazy, undeserving of extra help. Many impoverished individuals label those that are well-off as privileged, undeserving of their wealth.
Recognizing this current lack of empathy in today’s society, Jason Y. Lee, founded the YouTube Channel “Jubilee” in 2010 with the mission statement, “We believe in the power of empathy for human good.” Their human-centric videos provoke conventional thinking by exploring controversial issues and shedding light on the perspectives of varying kinds of people. For example, Middle Ground is a segment that sparks a dialogue between individuals extremely divided on an issue, such as gun control, abortion, or drugs. The people at Jubilee ask questions in order to prompt interesting discussions, allowing each side to see the perspective of the other, the goal being for them to reach a point where they can empathize with each other. Some of my favorite Middle Ground episodes are “Atheists and Christians Debate Truth and Belief,” “Men and Women See to Understand Each Other,” “Can Democrats and Republicans See Eye to Eye?,” and “Can Israelis and Palestinians See Eye to Eye?.”
I stumbled across this channel and it immediately opened my eyes to the complexities of different issues and the varying perspectives that individuals have. After watching an episode, I am always shocked by how my preconceived beliefs on a particular issue change. Many people are afraid to listen to the other side’s point of view, believing they might be unfairly swayed by the other argument. However, by listening to these opposing viewpoints, in many cases, I strengthen my original argument as I now can account for the concerns of the other side.
So, if you find yourself on YoutTube, bored of watching Shane Dawson, David Dobrik, or Mr. Beast, hop onto Jubilee to open your eyes about real-world issues and real-world people. Only by understanding what other people in our world are experiencing can our society work together in developing new ideas and solving problems. So, expand your viewpoints, develop your empathy, and put yourself in someone else’s shoes, no matter what size they are.
Alexa, I love this post! I’ll have to check Jubilee sometime and watch some of their videos. I believe that empathy is one of the most important skills that people should learn to have. For a while now, I have been trying to perfect my ideology. I used to believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion (which is true) but as long as they aren’t outwardly mean or disrespectful towards someone, then it doesn’t matter. For example, someone could have the most racist mindset and ideas, but as long as they don’t act on them then it’s okay. As I’ve grown and matured, I have strayed away from this belief. Of course there are issues that benefit from arguments of both sides, however, I think that there are certain topics with non-negotiable opinions-that there is a definitive right and wrong answer. For example, race. Based on my ideology, I believe that everyone is equal no matter the color of their skin, and that is the right answer. No matter how hard I try to empathize with the White Supremacists and Neo-Nazis, I can never arrive at a “middle ground.” So I’ve come to a realization that, while being empathetic is a good first step, we have to do more. We have to start changing the mindsets of people in order to progress as a society. Of course, this would take generations and generations to change but I feel like it’s necessary.
Jess! I love this mindset! I definitely agree with your point that we need to present the facts and information to people to better their ideals and values according to a definitive right or wrong. I also think that empathizing with their viewpoint allows us to see their concerns (however invalid they may be) in order to address them to better convince them of the right side. For example, when watching the Jubilee video sharing the viewpoint from Trump supporters with xenophobia, I learned that many of them believe that immigrants cause a lot of crime. Therefore, in order to help them understand that immigrants are beneficial to our country, we need to address this concern and present them with the correct facts that change their opinion.
Hi Alexa!
I have never heard of Jubilee before this post. It sounds really interesting, I think I am going to have to watch a few episodes. I think it would be really interesting to watch a Youtube channel about something else than people just vlogging about their lives. I think this is a great channel idea because it brings attention to a bunch of current problems in the world. But as you described it, it seems to not cause a lot of controversy which I think is very important when discussing world issues. I think that this Youtube channel would be very helpful for everyone to be able to understand opposing viewpoints. I can’t wait to watch some of the videos on this channel. Hopefully I will be able to gain some more empathy for different viewpoints that I have. I am very happy I learned about this channel through your blog. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Grace!
I definitely recommend Jubilee because it is entertaining and also eye-opening! There are also different segments like The Spectrum or 10 vs. 1 that explore different issues related to human empathy that I definitely think you should check out as well!
I love Jubilee! One of the videos I found to be the most interesting was a Middle Ground video featuring people who were both Pro and Anti Vaccine. I think one of the great things about YouTube is that beyond the entertainment aspect, we also get the chance to explore content that’s meaningful and enriching. What your blog reminds me most of is this quote: “Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world.”
Wow, I love that quote! And I also remember the Pro vs. Anti Vaccine video to be very interesting, especially since there are not many people in Naperville who are vocal about being anti-vax so you really do not hear that perspective.