Jeremy Rifkin, an adviser to a number of heads of state and the European Union, discusses his new book The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis (Tarcher, 2009), with Joseph Planta.

The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis by Jeremy Rifkin. (Tarcher, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Empathic Civilization

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

My guest now has just written a big book – literally and figuratively. It’s nearly 700 pages, and it’s quite a stimulating read. Jeremy Rifkin contends that we are at a seminal period in human history, where the coming decades will well determine the future of human civilisation. The book is entitled The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis. It provides a new interpretation of history, focusing on empathy and how it has evolved and affected the human story. Mr. Rifkin argues that if we rethink human nature, we’ll be able to appropriately deal with the problems of the collapse of the global economy, energy security, and climate change. The book was recently selected the Huffington Post’s Book Club Pick of the Month. Jeremy Rifkin has advised heads of state, and has advised the European Union since 2002. He is the founder and chair of the Third Industrial Revolution Global CEO Business Roundtable. He is also a senior lecturer at the Wharton School’s Executive Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania. He’s a frequent commentator in both the electronic and print press. The Empathic Civilization is published by Tarcher, an imprint of Penguin. The website for more is www.foet.org. I spoke to Jeremy Rifkin from an airport in Toronto, after appearances on a book tour there. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Jeremy Rifkin; Good morning, Mr. Rifkin.

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