I've recently read that there's been a significant drop in the levels of empathy by young people. No big deal you might think in regards to achievement.

But, as Jeremy Rifkin's clever animation might suggest, empathy is likely to be the winning factor in future business relationships - simply because anyone with high levels of empathy will stand out like ... well, they'll stand out. They'll attract clientele, easy as.

The drop in empathy is clearly an indication that we're becoming more disconnected from those in our communities. It would seem that technology in the form of online chat-rooms, forums and social media (such as Facebook) is not bringing people together in ways that foster care, connection and empathy.