On Young Adult Literature and Empathy
I was invited by the Philippine Board on Books for Young People to hold a talk at the 2nd Philippine Children's Book Summit on July 22. I joined Dean Francis Alfar, with the talk moderated by children's book author Dr. Luis Gatmaitan (who, I just learned that day, is an actual medical doctor; I just always assumed he has a PhD in Education; #assumera)
Below is a portion of the talk I gave, "Speculative Fiction in the Age of Alternative Facts". Thank you to all who attended and asked questions. Photos below are from Dr. Gatmaitan.
With the political and social climate today, we’re no longer talking only of corruption in relation to money.
We're talking about the corruption of our morals and values.
If our values and morals are corrupted, as writers, who are we writing for? Who will be able to understand us?
Writing assumes a human perspective, the perspective that says that we're all on the same level, that we’re all coming from the same place. This is our least common denominator, so to speak. Being human. Whether your character is an octopus, a renegade space princess, or a talking toaster, what binds them all together, what makes them comprehensible, is our shared human experience.
If my story’s message says, “Extreme academic pressure can push a student to the edge of his sanity” (Dan’s Dreams), but you believe that “Pressure is good because it builds character” and nothing will change your mind, then my story will not speak to you. You won’t understand the horror of it.
If we don't share the same values, my tragic story may be your comedy. Or even worse, my tragic story may mean nothing, may not even merit a cursory glance.
We are talking about speculative fiction for young adults, but what I see is: it is the very value of human life that has become speculative—that has, for some reason, become open to interpretation. Human rights as a point of debate.
That’s the one thing that you’d think we’d agree on, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that we don’t.
Writing young adult literature, whether speculative or not, can build empathy, to drive this point home. To show us how lives are lived. To remind us of our humanity.
SLIDE:
Empathy is a trait we are all born with, this is because we are social creatures and have evolved to survive and thrive in small communities. Social conditioning determines if teenagers will learn to listen to their empathetic voice (consciousness) or otherwise.
…
This is what makes the adolescent years turbulent for some people, because belief systems influenced by social values come into play, and some people have a difficult time in picking a skill set and achieving competency. Teenagers typically become self absorbed during their adolescent years, but it is not due to having no empathy - it is because they are going through a process of self discovery and what may seem like an unwillingness to engage may actually be a sign of having little to no confidence to engage on an emotional level.
…
Teenagers are capable of being empathetic, when a lack of empathy is observed, it is usually a result of detrimental beliefs and values the teenager has internalized over the years due to a multitude of variables.
Ugo Uche, Psychology Today
Again, beliefs and values.
We return to the original question: How can you write about truth in a world where facts are questioned?
Speculative fiction affords writers an excellent avenue to do this: you arrive at the truth sideways. Spec fic gives you a different lens. It can exoticize (make strange, distant, even new) certain things that we’ve accepted as normal. Maybe this way you can arrive at new insight that will bring you closer to illumination about the human condition.
SLIDE:
When I talk to other people, both those who teach and those who do not, about my responsibilities as an educator, I always say that my number one job is to help my students be better humans than when they entered my classroom. That is definitely not to say that they are bad humans when they get to me; far from it in fact. However, I believe as educators we have the most amazing opportunity, and in my eyes a professional and social responsibility, to teach our students to show grace, be kind, and to treat others with empathy.
Brooke Perry
http://corelaboratewa.org/teaching-empathy-with-young-adult-fiction/
Most of the readers who approach me are young, and I know some of my novels are being taught in senior high school.
I’m not a professional educator, but I feel this way. Teaching empathy also is the writer’s social responsibility, the writer’s unique opportunity.
I know that sometimes a story can feel more real, more intimate, more familiar, than reality itself, and I hope these young readers can feel this, and show empathy even if the real world sometimes does not treasure its practice.
Below is a portion of the talk I gave, "Speculative Fiction in the Age of Alternative Facts". Thank you to all who attended and asked questions. Photos below are from Dr. Gatmaitan.
 |
| L-R: Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, me, Dean Alfar |
 |
| The jampacked room in the UP Diliman Asian Center. I thought we'll have a cozy room, with at most 10 participants! |
From: "Speculative Fiction in the Age of Alternative Facts" (by Eliza Victoria)
With the political and social climate today, we’re no longer talking only of corruption in relation to money.
We're talking about the corruption of our morals and values.
If our values and morals are corrupted, as writers, who are we writing for? Who will be able to understand us?
Writing assumes a human perspective, the perspective that says that we're all on the same level, that we’re all coming from the same place. This is our least common denominator, so to speak. Being human. Whether your character is an octopus, a renegade space princess, or a talking toaster, what binds them all together, what makes them comprehensible, is our shared human experience.
If my story’s message says, “Extreme academic pressure can push a student to the edge of his sanity” (Dan’s Dreams), but you believe that “Pressure is good because it builds character” and nothing will change your mind, then my story will not speak to you. You won’t understand the horror of it.
If we don't share the same values, my tragic story may be your comedy. Or even worse, my tragic story may mean nothing, may not even merit a cursory glance.
We are talking about speculative fiction for young adults, but what I see is: it is the very value of human life that has become speculative—that has, for some reason, become open to interpretation. Human rights as a point of debate.
That’s the one thing that you’d think we’d agree on, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that we don’t.
Writing young adult literature, whether speculative or not, can build empathy, to drive this point home. To show us how lives are lived. To remind us of our humanity.
SLIDE:
Empathy is a trait we are all born with, this is because we are social creatures and have evolved to survive and thrive in small communities. Social conditioning determines if teenagers will learn to listen to their empathetic voice (consciousness) or otherwise.
…
This is what makes the adolescent years turbulent for some people, because belief systems influenced by social values come into play, and some people have a difficult time in picking a skill set and achieving competency. Teenagers typically become self absorbed during their adolescent years, but it is not due to having no empathy - it is because they are going through a process of self discovery and what may seem like an unwillingness to engage may actually be a sign of having little to no confidence to engage on an emotional level.
…
Teenagers are capable of being empathetic, when a lack of empathy is observed, it is usually a result of detrimental beliefs and values the teenager has internalized over the years due to a multitude of variables.
Ugo Uche, Psychology Today
Again, beliefs and values.
We return to the original question: How can you write about truth in a world where facts are questioned?
Speculative fiction affords writers an excellent avenue to do this: you arrive at the truth sideways. Spec fic gives you a different lens. It can exoticize (make strange, distant, even new) certain things that we’ve accepted as normal. Maybe this way you can arrive at new insight that will bring you closer to illumination about the human condition.
SLIDE:
When I talk to other people, both those who teach and those who do not, about my responsibilities as an educator, I always say that my number one job is to help my students be better humans than when they entered my classroom. That is definitely not to say that they are bad humans when they get to me; far from it in fact. However, I believe as educators we have the most amazing opportunity, and in my eyes a professional and social responsibility, to teach our students to show grace, be kind, and to treat others with empathy.
Brooke Perry
http://corelaboratewa.org/teaching-empathy-with-young-adult-fiction/
Most of the readers who approach me are young, and I know some of my novels are being taught in senior high school.
 |
| Photos from Teacher Stef's awesome Grade 11 class. They took up Wounded Little Gods, and created an exhibit about it. |
I’m not a professional educator, but I feel this way. Teaching empathy also is the writer’s social responsibility, the writer’s unique opportunity.
I know that sometimes a story can feel more real, more intimate, more familiar, than reality itself, and I hope these young readers can feel this, and show empathy even if the real world sometimes does not treasure its practice.
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