CAN COMPASSION BE TAUGHT?

The positive characteristics of compassion, empathy and sympathy form the glue that holds society together and promotes well being on an individual level.  The Buddhists, like many other thinkers, believe that compassion can be learnt. Do your research and find out how. When you are ready, write an essay in which you discuss the methods you have learnt about.

Familiarize yourself with the issue:

·         Can compassion be trained or taught? His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Templeton Prize 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGzUvtqb27Y

Reading material to make notes on

·         Can you teach compassion? https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/do-the-right-thing/201401/can-you-teach-compassion

·         Can you teach compassion? http://dalailamacenter.org/blog-post/can-you-teach-compassion

·         8 Ways to teach compassion to kids http://www.huffingtonpost.com/signe-whitson/8-ways-to-teach-compassio_b_5568451.html

Videos to take notes from

·         How the teddy bear taught us compassion https://www.ted.com/talks/jon_mooallem_the_strange_story_of_the_teddy_bear_and_what_it_reveals_about_our_relationship_to_animals

·         The Dalai Lama - Compassion is not a Sign of Weakness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gqCw0FIylE

Open lecture: Stanford University

·         The centrality of compassion in human life and society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSL_xvokoF8

      Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com.tr/