Empathy as a Factor for a New Social Contract

This short paper is aiming at examining how empathy can be an engaging factor for a mutually beneficial exchange which could lead to a new social contract. Empathy has been discussed as the ability to see things from the other person's point of view, which will ensure a more effective communications, understandings and practices. Social contract is the individual's surrender of certain freedoms to the sovereignty, in exchange for the protection of natural rights that would improve the relationship. A grounded theory analysis of Singapore's socio-political blogs and readership (blogosphere) were conducted to substantiate the supposition.