I have grown up around technology, and have a love for all things that have electrons flowing through them. I do not, however, understand them by 1’s and 0’s, rather I see them as abstract concepts – puzzle pieces that fit together seeking to fulfill a purpose.
So it is that I have spent my life in pursuit of ways to connect people with technology and found that sometimes you have to get the technology out of the way and understand the person and their need in order to successfully apply technology to make their issue ‘better’.
Empathy is what brings our endeavors humanity and sets us apart from those machines we so love to throw at our problems. It reminds us we are individuals in a sea of other individuals – in need of an outstretched hand.
For instance, the promise of social media is in the hope to touch lives we otherwise would not have met – to break through geographical boundaries. Or perhaps it is to reach across the fence in our backyard to a neighbor we might not have otherwise acknowledged with anything other than a nod or a waive of the hand.
Technology is a tool, like any other, to be used or abused. However, it is empathy that helps us connect; empathy is bridge connecting people – not technology.
This post was inspired by David Armano’s post When Marketing Feels Shallow, Go Deep. His blog, Logic & Emotion, is a wonderful read.
Photo credit to Dayaran.
Ken Stewart’s blog, ChangeForge.com, focuses on the collision between the constantly changing worlds of business and technology. Ken is also the Director of Technology at Kearns Business Solutions.
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