The panel discussion on Authenticity, Extreme Experiences and Empathy will take place Friday the 14th of October between 2pm and 4pm in Svarta Havet, Konstfack.

What qualifies as an extreme experience? Torture? Skydiving? Giving birth? Certainly death does. Because these experiences are extreme do they seem more authentic? And do they seem that way because they are more transformative than day-to-day experiences? Torture vs. Doing the Laundry. Are extreme experiences more difficult for the rest of us to empathize with just because they are extreme, because they are risky? Are there interconnected relationships between extreme experiences, empathy and authenticity? Are they interconnected in ways that would mean, for example, to empathize with a person who has had an extreme experience validates it, reaffirming its authenticity? Can someone be empathetic without being authentic? And if so, is that ethical? Are there are certain professions, for example the clergy, astronauts, or ambassadors that are keyed in to extreme experiences more than others?
These are the sorts of questions, interrelationships, causes and effects we wish to explore in the interdisciplinary panel Authenticity, Extreme Experiences and Empathy.
Participants come from an array of disciplines and the set-up will favor rich discussions and participation from the audience.