Before rejecting someone for their beliefs, start by asking why they value certain ideals. To portray radical empathy, people don’t need to embody beliefs that oppose their own, simply identify that their values are valid, and dialogue will flow from there. Learn about these lessons and more that Max Klapow has learned from his experiences. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Max is an aspiring “people person” interested in how we connect with each other. As a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis, he studies psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, and is passionate about figuring out the “why” behind all of the weird and crazy things we as humans do.

Max is a William H. Danforth Scholar, a research assistant in the Diversity Sciences Lab, a Strategy Fellow at Bear Studios, and is involved in a number of organizations on campus, including Leaders in Interpersonal Violence Education, social fraternity Alpha Delta Phi, and all-male a cappella group, the Pikers. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx