Breaking the Binary

Empathy Power Up

Black/White, Right/Wrong, Good/Bad, Democrat/Republican, Fat/Thin. These are all examples of binary thinking--that life is either this or that. We think that we have two choices, when there’s a whole spectrum of options we haven’t even considered or explored.

Binary thinking is something that we’ve inherited from our ancestors, and is the way that many of us categorize the world. Fast forward to today, and this binary thinking and categorization no longer serves us in the way it once did. It is used to denote extremes, to polarize, to categorize each other with the haves and have nots, the us versus them. We see each other for our utility–what we can do for us and how we can relate, and also what we’re not for. Often, many of us define ourselves more about what we are against than what we are for. And in the most extreme circumstances, it’s been used to dehumanize people.

Today’s conversation talks about our own journeys around binary thinking and the pitfalls that happen when we focus too much on them. We will also discuss how we might be able to snap out of our own binary thinking and be able to see the spectrum of life in front of us.

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Note: Binary thinking is one of several characteristics as outlined in Tema Okun’s Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture. She writes this about Binary thinking: “Reduces the complexity of life and the nuance of our relationships with each other and all living things into either/or, yes or no, right or wrong in ways that reinforce urgency, one right way, perfectionist thinking, and abuse of power.

Amy J. Wilson lives to design a world where every person gets what they need, the power to achieve what they want, and the agency to do what they love. For nearly 20 years Amy has put empathy into action: she has built cultures that hold change so that organizations and the people within it can thrive. She has challenged the status quo and redesigned systems centered on compassion and equity at more than a dozen organizations and can both set and implement the vision. She is the bestselling author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World: https://www.amazon.com/Empathy-Change-Create-Understanding-World, a guide to create positive transformation where we work, live, and play. Grab a copy anywhere books are sold or the audiobook on Audible.

Kevin A.K.A Captain Empathy is the Founder and CEO of Jaago (means to wake-up in Hindi). Jaago’s vision is to create a world where people seek to understand one another by making empathy a daily habit. He is a tech leader and IOT (Internet of Things) pioneer and expert. He brings practical experience, lived experience, and his transparent growth journey to the podcast.

Follow:

• Kevin at @shahkevin or https://linktr.ee/shahkevin
• Amy at @realamyjwilson or www.AmyJWilson.com

Cover Art Design: Amy J. Wilson with Canva