RSA - The Selfish Society

The Selfish Society

22nd Apr 2010; 13:00

(full recording including audience Q&A)
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RSA Thursday

Society is at a turning point. The recent economic crisis has opened up the possibility of revising our values and moving away from selfishness, individualism and greed, and toward a more cooperative and compassionate society. But having decided to change, what steps must we take to bring about this dramatic shift?

Psychotherapist and bestselling author Sue Gerhardt visits the RSA to show that selfishness and disregard for others in public life has its roots in poor care in early childhood.

She draws on developmental psychology and neuroscience to show how, when babies are not treated with personal care, the values of empathy and responsibility are undermined. By focussing our attention on these crucial developmental stages in a child’s life, Gerhardt insists we can begin to create a better and more other-regarding society.

Suggested hashtag for Twitter users: #rsasociety