Have you ever corrected friends or family for calling animals “it?” If so, social-change life coach Phyllis Levinson’s Sustainable Activism blog, “It,” “Them,” “Other” is for you!

Humans have extraordinary capabilities and potential. We explore the universe, have technology that instantaneously connects us to one another, discover cures for seemingly unsolvable diseases, and create art – painting, sculpture, poetry, literature, music and dance – that stirs our souls. These amazing accomplishments are possible only through collaboration with one another. Even the most outwardly independent person is as interdependent as the rest of us.

In spite of our accelerated accomplishments, there is one area that remains a challenge: empathy. We too often see another being, usually one that don’t look, think or believe like us, as “it” rather than “he” or “she.” In so doing, we enable ourselves to dismiss this individual and ignore his or her suffering.

This collective lack of empathy explains how we can ignore, or do worse, to other families, and still go home and be loving to our own. By seeing those other mothers, fathers and children as “its,” as objects no different from a chair or table, then our conscience is clear. No need to spend another minute thinking about them.

But they are not “its.” They are fellow beings. Sentient beings of our own and different species. All love. All feel. All think. All suffer. All feel joy.

No single person can turn the collective “it” thinking around, but we can check in with ourselves to be sure we are acting from our most compassionate selves. Desperate refugees fleeing war and terrorism are us. Human-made environmental and natural catastrophes happen to us. Suffering of all species happens to us.

It is incumbent upon us to take action to alleviate anguish for “him” and “her.” The first step is to open our hearts to feel the other. Only then will our minds follow to think differently. Volunteer, donate, contribute, spread the word. My dear fellow social change advocates, I look forward to seeing you along the way.

Phyllis Levinson is a Life Coach for Social Change Advocates. As an animal rights activist, Phyllis is a volunteer Counselor for In Defense of Animals’ Animal Activist Helpline and a volunteer District Leader for the Humane Society of the United States. www.phyllislevinson.com.