01/15/2026
CARING IS CONTAGIOUS - Empathy and compassion are the building blocks of kindness. Unfortunately, we’re currently in the midst of an empathy deficit, says Jamil Zaki, PhD, professor of psychology at Stanford University and author of The War for Kindness. In his online talk for the Family Action Network, “Building Empathy in a Fractured World,” Zaki notes that rituals that once brought us into regular contact — like grocery shopping or a bowling league — are giving way to more solitary pursuits and online activities. “When we do interact,” he adds, “it’s often in ways that are transactional, thinned out, and anonymous.”
But “caring is contagious,” he argues. If you model caring, compassionate, kind behavior in your community, others will do the same. Consider starting a community garden, holding a coat drive in the winter, or organizing a block party in the summer to get to know your neighbors. Check in on elderly folks who live alone.
Learn more by reading How to Build Empathy and Compassion in Your Community: https://www.bluezones.com/2022/06/how-to-build-empathy-and-compassion-in-your-community/
