The Global FAIR Space Blog

The sentiments in the quote above by Jacinda Ardern extend beyond political leaders. They should speak to everyone committed to advocating for equity, shaping fair and ethical policies, and making thoughtful decisions in the realm of technology.

Today, I want to have a little chat about empathy as it applies to equity. Post #2 covered Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and it’s a good gateway into this discussion. We can relate the concept of equity to several levels of the pyramid.

• Safety Needs: Equity directly impacts people’s feelings of security and safety. A lack of equity can mean that basic safety needs are not met for certain groups, affecting their mental and physical security. Considering equity in this context highlights the need for a safe, stable environment as foundational to societal well-being.
• Love and Belonging Needs: This level involves the human need for interpersonal relationships, feeling a sense of belonging, and being accepted. By promoting equity, we’re advocating for an inclusive society where everyone feels respected and part of the community, essential for satisfying these needs.
• Esteem Needs: Equity also relates to the respect and recognition that individuals receive from others. Both have an impact on their self-esteem and the esteem they receive from society-at-large. Recognizing the value and contributions of all individuals helps meet these needs by cultivating an environment where everyone, no matter what their background or circumstances, can feel valued and respected.
• Self-Actualization: At the top of the pyramid, equity is crucial because it ensures that all individuals have the opportunities and resources necessary to pursue their goals and fulfil their potential without unjust barriers.

Equity is not just about meeting basic needs but also about practically and holistically enabling every individual to achieve personal and communal well-being which is why equity matters across so many aspects of human development and life.

So, what do I mean by “Equity as a Function of Empathy”? Empathy involves more than all the feels for someone. Crucially, it demands not just lip-service, but active engagement and a commitment to act upon the learned understanding for their situation. In the context of equity, this means creating environments and systems that serve the full spectrum of human needs and acknowledging that everyone’s circumstances are unique and require tailored approaches. Put another way:

Operationalize Empathy

Several years ago, in my role as a consultant, I took my clients who were staff at a large venue through an exercise. I had noticed there was a lack of policy for attendees who had serious visual impairments. I wanted to show in a rather visceral but entirely safe manner, what that was like. I had them partner up. One person wore a blindfold and the other person was to to lead them first through the (cleared) parking lot and then through the vast interior of the venue. This was obviously a calm situation, however, I wanted them to think about how scary might be to be a person living with serious visual impairments in the event of an emergency that required evacuation of the venue. In short, I wanted to cultivate empathy and encourage operational activation of that empathy. Not only had the experiment demonstrated how difficult physically to handle such a situation was, but also how important trust of one’s fellow human beings was in such a situation. I am pleased to say that I was successful in influencing a change in operational policy.

How can we relate equity and empathy to our understanding of emerging technology?

For an analogy, I’d like to use one of my favourite books of all time.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

For those of you who haven’t read this incredible children’s novel, Charlotte’s Web is about a little runt-of-the-litter farm pig named Wilbur. Wilbur is, of course, meant for the dinner table – a fate he has no control over. Despite this, he is raised by the farmer’s kind-hearted daughter, Fern. Lucky for Wilbur, he is befriended by a spider named Charlotte who also lives in the barn, happens to be brilliant and has a way with the English language. In an all-out effort to prevent Wilbur from being slaughtered, she weaves a series of words of praise about her friend into her web, each displayed at optimal times. *Spoiler alert* Charlotte eventually saves Wilbur from ever becoming bacon, thus ensuring the humble pig a long and happy life.

I suggest that Charlotte’s Web teaches profound lessons on equity, empathy, and the power of using technology for good and furthermore, towards equity. Wilbur began his life disadvantaged, destined for the slaughter because he was a pig to be raised for exactly that purpose on a farm. However, his status as a “runt” at birth put him at even greater risk early in his life due to this perceived lack of value. As a piglet, he is saved by the farmer’s daughter. After she raises him, he is once again in danger of being slaughtered for meat by Fern’s uncle. Charlotte operationalizes her empathy and ingeniously saves her friend’s life.

Wilbur represents those in society who face systemic disadvantages due to circumstances beyond their control. Fern and Charlotte, both from completely different walks of life, show immense empathy and proactively take steps to help him survive and even thrive. Charlotte, in particular, uses her web and her technical know-how (a parallel to modern technology) to…webcast…messages that celebrate Wilbur’s worth, change people’s perceptions of Wilbur, and convince those in power to spare her friend, thus altering his future for the better. Charlotte’s strategic use of her advanced and evolving tools demonstrates how technology can be leveraged for good, advocate for justice, and promote equitable outcomes.

No individual, underrepresented/underrecognized, marginalized priority population’s fate is sealed by their initial conditions, provided that there are compassionate people ready and willing to use their knowledge and know-how to operationalize empathy. While Charlotte’s Web is a children’s story, it serves as a powerful allegory for how organizations and policy-making can and should prioritize empathy in service of equity.

Perhaps you, too, can help guide conversation towards the impact and responsibilities of current and future technological advancements🕸️

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*The 1st and 2nd graphic on this post was generated by Natasha J. Stillman and Chat GPT-4 and DALLE-3