But specifically, it may be useful to cultivate compassion — the desire for other beings to be free from suffering — more than (affective) empathy, i.e. actually feeling the feelings of those who suffer.
As I write in section 9.5 (see the book for references):
Research suggests that these meditation practices [i.e. compassion and loving-kindness meditation] not only increase compassionate responses to suffering, but that they also help to increase life satisfaction and reduce depressive symptoms for the practitioner, as well as to foster better coping mechanisms and increased positive affect in the face of suffering.
Thanks for your question, Niklas. It’s an important one.
The following link contains some resources for sustainable activism that I’ve found useful:
https://magnusvinding.com/2017/12/30/resources-for-sustainable-activism/
But specifically, it may be useful to cultivate compassion — the desire for other beings to be free from suffering — more than (affective) empathy, i.e. actually feeling the feelings of those who suffer.
Here is an informative conversation about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ1SuKOchps
As I write in section 9.5 (see the book for references):