Empathy is a big part of what makes us human.

The ability to have understanding and compassion for others. 

But with the dramatic changes in behaviour during 2020, I wonder what that will mean for our ability to empathise in the years to come.

Half of our faces are covered by masks and so much of a person's emotion is hidden from us.

We are living our lives through a ZOOM lens. On virtual video calls. can we really understand the world through such a lens?

And let's not forget about the survival instincts that kicked in when lockdowns were announced and supermarket shelves were stripped of toilet paper and pasta.

These were certainly short-term changes in our ability to be empathetic.

But will they have long-term impacts too?

And if so...what does that mean for the future of society as we know it?

#empathy #COVID19impacts #compassion