“If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” (Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee)
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In Your Own Words…
In your own words, what is the main idea of the quote above by American novelist Harper Lee?
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” (Albert Einstein)
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Getting Personal
From your own personal experiences and observations, give two examples of situations where empathy played a crucial role in solving a problem or resolving a conflict.
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INSIGHTS for SUCCESS
“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection – or compassionate action.” (Daniel Goleman)
“You can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” (Native American saying)
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