Getting to the bottom of it all by getting touchy-feely.

My hair is on fire. I sat in on what was the most interesting (and personally inspiring) session yet. It was on empathy and ethics—those unseen foundations that drive so many of us to be or aspire to be social entrepreneurs.

What made it so blazingly insightful? The panel broke the silence on the unseen forces that lie at the root of so many of our social ills—anger, disconnectedness, and apathy. Rather than spending another two hours discussing well-worn topics like developing partnerships with corporations or measuring social impact, the distinguished panelists got deep about the need to develop a more empathetic, emotionally literate and interconnected society.

But how do we think about developing empathy as parents, educators, policymakers and organizational leaders?  The panelists—Mary Gordon, Jill Vialet, Bill Drayton, and Kirk Hanson—represented some interesting perspectives for pursuing this lofty societal vision. You could feel the energy and intensity in the room, with audience members clamoring to share their personal reflections and questions.

Is spreading empathy and creating an emotionally literate society the new, ultimate challenge for social entrepreneurship?  Judging by the comments of panelists and audience, it could be the only way to create a world where everyone is a changemaker. Or as Mary Gordon, the glowing and wise entrepreneur who has brought empathy education to thousands of youth, put it, “This is not just about people ceasing to do bad things. This is about growing good people.”

For me, this panel was personal. It made plain and clear that my desire for human connectedness which has driven me to take up meditation and other consciousness-expanding practices (not the drug-induced variety mind you) is intensely interwoven with my interest in social entrepreneurship. I’m curious to know to what extent this is true for others in the social edge community and hoping the conversation started today continues writ large.