It’s a truism of history that in a time of upheaval and change, empathy is the first virtue to go. Our current moment is no different. This weekend’s sweeping immigration ban, signed by the Trump administration to block people from seven Muslim-majority countries entry into the United States, is just the latest in a regrettable pattern. It's visible in the hyper-partisanship in our politics, eroding trust across socioeconomic groups, and the rise of fear-based extremism worldwide: tribal instincts are getting the better of many of us.

Many are pointing at the tech sector as the cause of our empathy-anemic moment. And, while we wouldn’t advocate dropping tech from your life and heading for the woods just yet, these critics do have a point.

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