Empathy-Based Economy and the Emergence of a Compassionate Local Network

This paper proposes a conceptual framework called the “Empathy-Based Economy (Kindness Capitalism)” and the “Compassionate Local Network” as a response to the structural limitations of contemporary capitalism. The current economic system, driven by a logic of competition and accumulation, has led to widening inequality, environmental degradation, and increasing psychological distress. This study explores the potential for a new institutional paradigm in which empathy, rather than competition, forms the core of economic value. At the center of this model is the idea of a “Compassion Token”—a system that records and visualizes acts of kindness and mutual aid as a unit of social and economic value. The proposed structure envisions a stepwise transition: beginning with small-scale social experiments on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), expanding into local community networks, and ultimately evolving into a sustainable civilization model that no longer relies on traditional state systems or currency-based exchange. This paper is not intended as a finalized theory built upon disciplinary expertise, but rather as a civic-level proposal arising from personal reflection and lived experience. The author acknowledges the need for rigorous academic analysis and welcomes interdisciplinary engagement and future research to critically examine and develop the ideas presented. It is hoped that this work serves as a starting point for rethinking the foundations of economy and society.