Mark Zuckerberg has just announced Facebook’s plan to introduce an ’empathy’ button alongside the familiar ‘like’ icon which is used 4.5 billion times per day.
In this article in the Guardian, I argue that it’s a big mistake. It would represent the triumph of slacktivism over activism, and leave us emotionally inarticulate and illiterate.
Please join my campaign against the ’empathy’ button by sharing this article, especially on Facebook.
Roman Krznaric is the author of Empathy (Penguin Random House), and founder of the Empathy Museum.
Image: 2paragraphs
Very thought-provoking! As a researcher on empathy, I think this deserves a research project on how people express and perceive empathy. Research should help here.
The button doesn’t cover it most times. You lose someone and post about it, people ‘like’ it. What should be necessary is more conversation but people are quick and way too busy. Maybe an empathy button is a good solution. For me the best way is conversation and real answers and questions.