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RE: Limits of Compassion: Caring About Smaller Suffering More Than Larger Suffering
I have read that idea that when we use numbers it does have a numbing effect to people. Millions starving in Africa will be less effective than showing a malnourished child with an empty bowl.
I work in HR and when I make reports I sometimes use anecdotes or pull up a profile to drive home a point.
Humanizing data is an important way in order to get people to care, to have emphathy. Maybe it comes from our perception that numbers are cold and images and words carry more impact to people.
Also the bigger the number the harder it is for people t imagine so by goiing 1 out 5 people suffer from depression, will have more impact than say 4 million people suffer from depression.
Yeah, I tend to talk in universals, abstract concept that underlies much, and rarely use individual concrete examples... hehe. It make sit harder to relate, but I'm elaborating on overarching understanding that can apply in many areas and sometimes the specific examples escape me :/