I would argue that empathy is not a very useful attribute anyway. Paul Bloom makes a compelling argument in his book, Against Empathy. What use is it to feel someone else’s pain? Wouldn’t it be better to feel compassion for the victim? Taking on someone’s feelings leads us to make irrational and harmful decisions. Some of the most dangerous people to have walked this earth have been excellent judges of other people’s intentions through a highly developed cognitive empathy. Let’s get to the truth of the matter and speak plainly so we can act with integrity instead of second guessing what people want.
I would argue that empathy is not a very useful attribute anyway. Paul Bloom makes a compelling argument in his book, Against Empathy. What use is it to feel someone else’s pain? Wouldn’t it be better to feel compassion for the victim? Taking on someone’s feelings leads us to make irrational and harmful decisions. Some of the most dangerous people to have walked this earth have been excellent judges of other people’s intentions through a highly developed cognitive empathy. Let’s get to the truth of the matter and speak plainly so we can act with integrity instead of second guessing what people want.