Clinging to compassion: the story of Cydni’s Irving

This article from The Washington Post by Ruby Cramer, with photographs by Anna Watts, caught our attention recently. 

It tells the story of Cydni, a woman working tirelessly to bring people together in an era of deep political and social divides. 

Through her journey, Cydni highlights the difficulty—and the importance—of fostering empathy and meaningful action in the face of apathy and polarization. 

The story is a good example of the singularity effect in action.

In previous AOC articles, we explored similar challenges in breaking through these barriers to empathy. For example, the NØG Builders Movement demonstrates how grassroots efforts can overcome political polarization and foster cooperation, echoing Cydni’s approach.

Similarly, in the article Algorithms and Compassion Collapse, we examined how digital platforms often hinder emotional connection, a challenge Cydni faces in building understanding across divides. 

Also in this previous article we covered the The Single-Vote Issue and the Prominence Effect and explored the biases that limit collective action—an obstacle Cindy confronts as she strives to mobilize support. 

Cydni’s story shows that individual efforts can trigger meaningful conversations, revert polarization and spark critical change. It embodies core concepts of the arithmetic of compassion in action.

Leilani (Cydni’s daughter) hugs the family's chicken, Beeper. (Anna Watts for The Washington Post)