Finding Compassion For Others And Yourself. Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Robertson Work back to the show. Work is an Adjunct Professor, activist and author of numerous books including A Compassionate Civilization: The Urgency of Sustainable Development and Mindful Activism – Reflections and Recommendations.
Asked how we get to a compassionate civilization, Work replies, “We have to acknowledge we are living in a turbulent and traumatic time. And so, we have to take good care of ourselves so we can care for others. There are a lot of challenges facing us. For me, compassion isn’t something unusual or strange. It’s really what it means to be a human being.”
Work says, “We need a whole system transformation. We’ve forgotten we’re part of the Earth. We’ve forgotten we’re part of the human community. We have got to wake up…we are all one species on one planet.” He suggests the most efficient way to create change is by focusing on local activism to affect how we treat others and the environment.
To that end, he describes his own daily regimen for improving the planet and remaining compassionate, “Every day I ask myself three questions: What can I do today to promote ecological regeneration? What can I do today to support social justice? What can I do to care for myself and my family, friends, and neighbors?”