I found an interesting article from Ivan Eland, Director of the Center on Peace & Liberty. Mr. Eland argues that empathy could be a powerful tool in foreign relations among nations, especially for the United States. Though the article contains some generalizations that simply aren’t true(e.g. the U.S. as a whole bought into Bush’s demagoguery), his point is well taken: an empathic approach can go a long way in creating a more peaceful world. Here’s an excerpt:
Empathy is a term that connotes the touchy-feely notion of getting in touch with someone else’s feelings or perspective. That’s what psychotherapists and social workers do.
It obviously has no place in the hard-knocks world of foreign affairs and national security. Or does it?
In world history, the best generals are experts in empathy. They know that to get the advantage, you have to put yourself in your adversary’s shoes, look at things from that perceived perspective, and try to predict what he or she would do under specific circumstances.
