Ajahn Sucitto describes how the process of papañca (objectification, see MN 18) transforms initially holistic sense impressions into abstract nouns such as the future, other people, and me. Without skill and awareness, the resulting loss of empathy leads to internal dissociation from our experience and external disconnection from others. Ajahn Sucitto goes on to relate this process to racism, mistreatment of animals, and the massively skewed distribution the world's wealth. He concludes by telling a profound experience of connection he had while traveling Tibet. This talk was offered on April 22, 2016 at Prasada in Occidental and replayed at Abhayagiri on August 6, 2016.