Global Kindness, Empathy & Human Connection | Can We Learn to Be Kinder

Global Kindness, Empathy, and Human Connection

How do childhood experiences, psychological development, and social environments shape human kindness, and can global initiatives strengthen empathy, compassion, and moral responsibility?

Dr. Aninda Sidhana is an Indian psychiatrist and psychosexual medicine specialist based in Rajasthan. She founded The Dignity Dialogues and advocates for women’s mental health, gender equality, and survivors of domestic abuse. Her clinical practice includes cognitive behavioural therapy, marital therapy, and supporting patients navigating trauma, relationships, and sexual health.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen is a Canadian journalist, editor, and publisher. He founded In-Sight Publishing and serves as Editor-in-Chief of In-Sight: Interviews. His work appears in International Policy Digest, The Good Men Project, and other outlets. He conducts interviews exploring human rights, science, philosophy, religion, culture, and contemporary public affairs internationally.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Dr. Aninda Sidhana explore the distinctions between sympathy and empathy, theory of mind, mirror neurons, emotional intelligence, and the limitations of neuroscientific explanations of moral conduct. Their conversation addresses personality disorders, social conformity, coercive control, digital media, institutional pressures, and the importance of maintaining meaningful human relationships. Sidhana emphasizes everyday acts of kindness, personal dignity, moral responsibility, and the role of schools and community initiatives in cultivating compassion. They consider whether global kindness campaigns can inspire lasting behavioural changes beyond symbolic celebrations and encourage more humane relationships across cultures and societies.