May 12, 2025 • 23 mins
Empathy Under Fire: Understanding Its Crucial Role and Strategic Erosion
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the psychological phenomenon of empathy, distinguishing it from sympathy and underscoring its pivotal role in moral reasoning, cooperation, and human survival. The episode explores the three types of empathy—cognitive, emotional, and compassionate—and how they are neurologically grounded. Leslie discusses the alarming trend of empathy being framed as a weakness or sin by authoritarian figures, media, and extremist ideologies, which aim to dehumanize outgroups for control. The episode emphasizes the importance of empathy in social cohesion and the dangers of its erosion, driven by fear and strategic manipulation. It also highlights effective strategies and programs for cultivating and restoring empathy in individuals and societies, advocating for small actions and systemic changes to foster a culture of care and mutual understanding.
00:00 Introduction to Empathy
01:32 The Psychology of Empathy
03:16 Empathy in Childhood Development
04:12 Empathy and Society
04:48 The Assault on Empathy
05:57 Empathy and Authoritarianism
08:25 Weaponization of Religion
11:09 The Rise of Spite
14:53 Rebuilding Empathy
18:17 Empathy in Action
22:00 Conclusion and Call to Action
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References
Altemeyer, B. (2006). The authoritarians. University of Manitoba Press.
Cikara, M., Bruneau, E., & Saxe, R. (2017). Us and them: Intergroup failures of empathy. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(2), 149-153.
Decety, J., & Jackson, P. L. (2006). A social-neuroscience perspective on empathy. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 15(2), 54-58.
Haidt, J. (2012). The righteous mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion. Pantheon Books.
Iacoboni, M. (2009). Imitation, empathy, and mirror neurons. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 653-670.
Marcus-Newhall, A., Miller, N., Holtz, R., & Brewer, M. B. (1993). Cross-cutting category membership with role assignment: A means of reducing intergroup bias. British Journal of Social Psychology, 32(2), 125-146.
Pettigrew, T. F., & Tropp, L. R. (2008). How does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? Meta-analytic tests of three mediators. European Journal of Social Psychology, 38(6), 922-934.
Pratto, F., Sidanius, J., Stallworth, L. M., & Malle, B. F. (1994). Social dominance orientation: A personality variable predicting social and political attitudes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(4), 741-763.
Schumann, K., Zaki, J., & Dweck, C. S. (2014). Addressing the empathy deficit: Beliefs about the malleability of empathy predict effortful responses when empathy is challenging. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 107(3), 475-493.
Singer, T., Seymour, B., O'Doherty, J., Kaube, H., Dolan, R. J., & Frith, C. D. (2004). Empathy for pain involves the affective but not sensory components of pain. Science, 303(5661), 1157-1162.
Webster, D. M., & Kruglanski, A. W. (1994). Individual differences in need for cognitive closure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(6), 1049-1062.
Zaki, J. (2014). Empathy: A motivated account. Psychological Bulletin, 140(6), 1608-1647.
Zak, P. J. (2015). Why inspiring stories make us react: The neurosc
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Leslie Poston (00:11):
Welcome to PsyberSpace. I'm your host,
Leslie Poston. This week, we'retalking about empathy. Not the
vague feel good notion tossedaround in HR manuals or
Instagram quotes, but the actualpsychological phenomenon.
Empathy is what allows us toconnect with one another, to
(00:31):
care, to protect, to organize,and to survive.
It's the foundation of moralreasoning and human cooperation,
and it's under attack. Rightnow, empathy is being reframed
as a weakness by authoritarianfigures, by theocratic
extremists, and by media punditswhose entire business model is
(00:54):
to stir resentment. Some of themgo as far as to call empathy a
sin, which is ironic, comingfrom people who claim to worship
a man who literally said, loveyour neighbor as yourself. The
assault on empathy isn't justmoral hypocrisy. It's strategic.
Empathy threatens authoritariancontrol because it humanizes the
(01:17):
people those systems need you tohate. So let's get into the
psychology of what empathyreally is, how it works, why
it's so important, and how it'sbeing systematically dismantled.
We use the word empathy all thetime, but it's often
misunderstood. In psychology,empathy isn't just feeling bad
(01:42):
for someone that's sympathy.Empathy is more complex.
There are actually three types.First, there's cognitive
empathy, the ability tounderstand another person's
perspective, what they might bethinking or feeling. It doesn't
mean you agree with them, itjust means you can see where
they're coming from. Thenthere's emotional empathy, where
(02:06):
you actually feel the emotionsthat someone else is
experiencing. You wince whenthey stub their toe.
You get choked up when theyshare a story of grief. Finally,
there is compassionate empathyor empathetic concern. That's
when your understanding andemotional resonance lead you to
act, to help, to comfort orsupport. In the brain, empathy
(02:30):
involves a network of systems.The mirror neuron system helps
us simulate others' experiences.
The medial prefrontal cortexhelps us think about other
minds, and the insula andanterior cingulate cortex play
roles in the emotional side ofit. These aren't just poetic
metaphors. Empathy is a realmeasurable function of human
(02:54):
cognition and emotion. What'simportant to know is that
empathy isn't some passive,squishy ideal. It's not
weakness.
It's a core human survival skillthat we are biologically wired
to possess and culturallytrained to suppress or express,
depending on what benefitspeople empower. Empathy doesn't
(03:18):
magically appear in adulthood.It begins in infancy. Babies
will cry when they hear otherbabies cry. This is an early
primitive form of affectiveresonance.
As children develop, so doestheir capacity to recognize
others' emotions, take differentperspectives, and eventually act
(03:39):
on that awareness in moral ways.This development doesn't happen
in a vacuum. It's shaped bybabies' caregivers, their
culture, media, the schools theygo to, and their social
interactions. Kids raised inemotionally responsive
environments learn to regulatetheir own feelings and recognize
(04:00):
others' needs. Kids raised inemotionally repressive or
punitive environments learn tonumb themselves and often
project that numbness outward ascruelty.
Empathy also plays a fundamentalrole in how societies function.
It's what allows forreciprocity, cooperation, mutual
(04:21):
aid, and trust. You can't have aworking society without some
baseline ability to imagineother people's experiences. In
fact, from an evolutionaryperspective, empathy gave us a
huge survival advantage. It letearly humans cooperate, share
resources, care for the sick,and protect the vulnerable.
(04:46):
Empathy isn't some New Ageluxury. It's why we've made it
this far as a species. And yet,because it's so essential, it's
also incredibly vulnerable tomanipulation. Empathy doesn't
thrive in systems designed todominate. Research into right
(05:06):
wing authoritarianism shows aconsistent pattern.
Those who score high onauthoritarian traits tend to
score lower on measures ofempathy. And that's not a
coincidence. It's becauseauthoritarian systems depend on
clear ingroups and outgroups.They rely on obedience, not
understanding, on loyalty andnot compassion. If you can
(05:30):
empathize with the other, quote,the scapegoat, the enemy, then
the whole system breaks down.
You're not supposed to seeasylum seekers as people fleeing
violence. You're supposed to seethem as invaders. You're not
supposed to see trans kids aschildren seeking safety. You're
supposed to see them as threats.This dehumanization is required
(05:53):
for authoritarian cruelty to beacceptable.
That's why authoritarianmessaging often frames empathy
as dangerous. It warns againstbeing too soft, too emotional,
too influenced by feelings. Thisis strategic. It trains people
to view human connection as athreat to order. It also creates
(06:14):
an environment where crueltybecomes normalized and even
celebrated.
Think about the cheers atrallies when someone is mocked
for being poor, disabled, ormarginalized. That's not
political strategy it's massemotional conditioning. What's
especially insidious about thisconditioning is how it exploits
(06:35):
the cognitive biases we allshare. When we're afraid, our
empathy naturally narrows. Ourbrains prioritize survival over
understanding.
Authoritarians know this anddeliberately stoke fear to shut
down empathetic response. Theycreate an artificial state of
emergency where there's no roomfor nuance or compassion. The
(06:59):
strategic erosion of empathyalso manifests in language
manipulation. Notice how certainterms get weaponized. Woke
becomes a slur againstcompassion.
Politically correct transformsconsideration into weakness.
Snowflake mocks emotionalsensitivity. This linguistic
(07:19):
framing is calculated to makeempathy seem not just
unnecessary but actively harmfulto social order. When language
itself becomes hostile toemotional connection, people
begin to self censor theirnatural empathetic responses to
avoid social punishment. Wetalked more about this last
week, so go listen to thatepisode if you'd like more
(07:41):
detail.
This process is furtherreinforced by what psychologists
like to call cognitive closure.That's the desire for clear,
simple answers in a complexworld. Empathy is messy. It
requires sitting with ambiguity,having multiple perspectives,
and understanding and acceptingemotional discomfort.
(08:03):
Authoritarian ideology offersthe opposite.
Absolute certainty, black andwhite thinking, clear villains
and heroes. For peopleoverwhelmed by complexity, this
certainty feels like relief,even if it requires shutting
down their natural empatheticresponses, a core part of their
(08:23):
humanity. Nowhere is thisemotional conditioning more
grotesque than in theweaponization of religions and
spirituality. Christiannationalism, in particular, has
hijacked the language of moralvirtue to justify acts of
extreme cruelty. Their sameJesus, who said, Blessed are the
(08:45):
merciful, is now invoked tosupport policies that punish the
poor, ban refugees, andcriminalize compassion.
This isn't accidental. It's apsychological maneuver. It
shifts the moral foundation fromcare and harm to loyalty,
authority, and purity. JonathanHaidt's research into moral
(09:07):
foundations theory helps explainthis. For some people, moral
decisions aren't rooted inempathy, but in hierarchy and
obedience.
We have an episode on that aswell, so just look for vertical
versus horizontal morality a fewweeks back. Those hierarchical
systems are fertile ground forpeople that want to replace
(09:28):
kindness with control. In thisframework, empathy is framed not
only as weakness, but as sin.Helping the wrong person becomes
a betrayal. Loving the wrongneighbor becomes an act of
rebellion against divine order.
And so cruelty becomes a kind ofreligious performance, a way to
prove belonging to the in groupthrough exclusion and harm to
(09:50):
the out group. And that's notChristianity. That's
Christovascism. And it'sdevastating people's ability to
care. The theological distortionrequired for this shift is
profound.
If you are Christian I am notbut if you are the Jesus of the
Gospels repeatedly violatedsocial boundaries to show
(10:12):
compassion, touching lepers,speaking to Samaritans,
defending women accused ofsexual impropriety. He
explicitly challenged rigidinterpretations of religious law
that harmed vulnerable people.Yet contemporary Christian
nationalism presents a versionof this faith where protecting
boundaries matters more thancrossing them to show kindness.
(10:35):
What makes this notablyeffective as a psychological
weapon is how it creates a moralcover for dehumanization. If you
can frame cruelty as divinejustice, you can bypass normal
empathetic restraints.
You can sleep at night whilesupporting policies that cage
children or deny health care tothe poor because you convinced
(10:56):
yourself that your cruelty isactually a form of tough love,
or worse, God's will. This isn'tjust theological error. It's
emotional manipulation on amassive scale. As empathy is
devalued, something else takesits place, spite. Spite is one
of the most dangerous socialemotions.
(11:18):
It's not just indifference toother suffering, it's the desire
to make others suffer even if ithurts you too. You can see this
in the rise of quote own thelibs politics where the goal
isn't to solve problems, but tohumiliate others. And
conversely, you can see it inthe FAFO politics that we're
(11:39):
seeing from Democrats to theMAGA Republicans right now. It
works both ways. You see it inpolicies that make life harder
for marginalized groups, evenwhen they don't materially
benefit the people pushing forthem.
Denying health care, banningbooks, restricting rights, These
things don't help most people,but they do scratch an emotional
(12:00):
itch, punishing people who aredifferent. Spite flourishes when
people feel powerless. It givesthem a twisted sense of agency.
They think if I can't be safe orprosperous, at least I can make
sure someone else suffers. Thatmindset spreads like a virus,
and it's fatal to a democracybecause a democracy depends on
(12:22):
shared humanity.
We're seeing a cultural shiftfrom asking what do others need
to how can I make others pay?And that's not just sad. It's
unsustainable. The psychology ofspite has been studied
extensively, and what'sinteresting is how easily it can
be triggered. In economic games,people will often accept
(12:45):
personal losses just to ensureothers lose more.
This isn't rational from a selfinterest perspective. It's
emotionally driven, and isbecoming a dominant force in our
politics. What makes spiteexceptionally dangerous is that
it's self reinforcing. Oncespite becomes a cultural norm,
(13:06):
it creates reciprocal hostility.Those targeted respond
defensively, which confirms theinitial negative beliefs.
This makes a feedback loop ofmutual antagonism that's
incredibly difficult to break.Each side feels increasingly
justified in their contempt. Themedia ecosystem worsens this
(13:27):
dynamic by rewardingperformative cruelty with
attention and social currency.Online platforms amplify the
most emotionally provocativecontent, creating incentives for
ever more extreme displays ofdehumanization. What begins as
political disagreement morphsinto existential hatred, and at
(13:48):
that point, democracy itselfbecomes impossible because you
can't share power with peopleyou no longer see as fully
human.
Psychologists have identified aphenomenon called social
dominance orientation, apersonality trait measuring
one's preference for hierarchyand dominance in social systems.
People high in this trait aremore likely to engage in spite
(14:10):
driven behaviors, especiallywhen they perceive threats to
existing power structures.They're not just indifferent to
suffering, they actively supportpolicies created if those
policies maintain hierarchiesthey value. This explains why
some voters consistently supportpolicies against their economic
self interest. They're notconfused about what benefits
(14:33):
them financially.
They're prioritizing statusprotection over material gain.
The emotional satisfaction ofmaintaining hierarchy outweighs
the practical benefits ofcooperation for them. This is a
dangerous tradeoff thatauthoritarian movements exploit
masterfully. The good news isthat empathy isn't fixed. It can
(14:57):
be cultivated and rebuilt.
Programs like Roots of Empathy,for example, used in schools
around the world, show us thateven young children can develop
stronger empathetic skills whenthey're given the tools and
emotional models. Restorativejustice circles in schools and
in courts have also shownpowerful results in creating
emotional understanding acrossconflict lines. Narrative is
(15:21):
another powerful tool.Neuroscientist Paul Zak's work
shows us that stories,especially those with emotional
arcs, stimulate oxytocinproduction and help people
connect with others'experiences. When we consume
stories with depth andvulnerability, we feel more
connected to the people in themand, by extension, the people in
(15:41):
our own lives.
Importantly, empathy can bemodeled in everyday life. When
we refuse to dehumanize othersin conversation, when we
interrupt cruelty instead ofletting it slide, when we listen
without needing to fix or todominate, we're building social
empathy circuits in the peoplearound us. And neuroscience
(16:02):
confirms these circuits areplastic. They can atrophy, but
they can also regenerate. What'sfascinating about empathy from a
neuroscience perspective is thatit operates on multiple levels
simultaneously.
At the most basic level, wheremirror neurons fire when we
observe others, creates asimulation of their experience
(16:24):
in our own minds. But higherlevel perspective taking
requires executive function, theability to mentally step outside
ourselves and imagine another'sreality. So this means empathy
involves both automaticunconscious processes and
conscious deliberate ones. Thisdual nature is actually great
(16:44):
news for empathy restoration.Even when unconscious empathetic
responses have been suppressedthrough cultural conditioning,
we can consciously practiceperspective taking.
With time, this practicerebuilds the neural pathways
that make empathy feel naturalagain. It's similar to physical
therapy after an injury. Withconsistent exercise, function
(17:07):
returns. Research on prejudicereduction supports this.
Meaningful contact betweengroups, collaborative projects
with shared goals, andperspective taking exercises all
show measurable effects inreducing dehumanization.
Even brief interventions cancreate significant shifts. For
example, studies where peoplewere asked to write about the
(17:30):
world from another person'sperspective showed immediate
increases in empathetic concernand reductions in stereotyping.
This suggests that while theassault on empathy is real and
dangerous, it's notirreversible. Empathy can be
deliberately cultivated throughboth individual practice and
institutional design. Schoolsthat incorporate social
(17:53):
emotional learning showmeasurable improvements in
students' empathetic abilities.
Workplaces that rewardcollaborative problem solving
rather than cutthroatcompetition show higher levels
of prosocial behavior. Mediathat represents complex
humanizing portrayals acrosspolitical and cultural lines can
(18:13):
expand our circle of moralconcern. So how do we protect
empathy in a world that's tryingto erase it? We start small. We
build microcultures of care inour families, our friend groups,
our workplaces, our classrooms.
Basically, we build community.We choose connection over
(18:33):
contempt. We tell stories thatreveal the full humanity of
others. We resist cruelty, notonly politically but
emotionally. Empathy does notmean we agree with everyone or
that we excuse harm.
It means we recognize thehumanity in others, even when
it's inconvenient. It meanswe're willing to be vulnerable,
(18:56):
even when that's unfashionable.And it means we protect each
other, not because we have to,but because we choose to.
Empathy is not passive, it'sprotective. Empathy is
resistance.
And right now, it might be oneof the most radical things that
you can practice. In practicalterms, this means creating what
(19:17):
we call brave spaces,environments where difficult
conversations can happen withboth honesty and care. It means
practicing moral courage, havingthe willingness to speak up when
others are dehumanized even atpersonal cost. It means
intentionally exposing ourselvesto perspectives and experiences
(19:37):
beyond our comfort zones, not tochange our core values, but to
expand our understanding. On alarger scale, it means
supporting systems and policiesthat structurally enable empathy
rather than sabotage it.
Universal healthcare, forexample, is not just about
medical access. It's aboutcreating a society where we
(19:59):
acknowledge our sharedvulnerability and collective
responsibility for each other'swell-being. Education that
emphasizes critical thinking andcultural understanding isn't
woke indoctrination. It'spreparation for citizenship in a
complex, diverse democracy.Media literacy isn't just about
(20:19):
spotting fake news.
It's about recognizing emotionalmanipulation that targets our
fear in our tribal instincts.History offers us powerful
example. During World War II,citizens in Nazi occupied
Denmark wore yellow stars insolidarity with their Jewish
neighbors. During the AIDScrisis, straight allies joined
(20:41):
ACCA to demand medical researchand humane treatment. During Jim
Crow, white students joinedFreedom Rides despite violent
reprisals.
And there was even a WhitePanthers created to support and
amplify what the Black Pantherswere doing that's not really
well talked about. And theseweren't just political acts.
(21:03):
They were empathetic ones. Theyrepresented the refusal to
accept the dehumanization ofothers even when it would have
been easier and safer to comply.Today, we face similar choices.
Do we laugh at cruelty orinterrupt it? Do we consume
media that deepens ourunderstanding or that inflames
(21:23):
our hatred? Do we practicecuriosity or condemnation when
we're faced with somethingthat's different? These aren't
abstract, philosophicalquestions. They are daily
decisions that we need to makethat shape our neural pathways
and our social fabric.
And of course, empathy aloneisn't enough. We need justice,
(21:43):
accountability, and systemicchange. But empathy is the
psychological foundation thatmakes those larger
transformations possible. Andwithout it, even the best
systems fail because they'll beimplemented by people who are
unable to recognize each other'shumanity. Perhaps most
importantly, practicing empathyin a hostile environment
(22:03):
requires community.
None of us can maintainempathetic connection in
isolation. We need spaces whereour own humanity is recognized
and affirmed so that we canextend that recognition to
others. Finding or creatingthose spaces might be the single
most important act of resistanceagainst authoritarian emotional
(22:24):
control we could make. And thisisn't about political
partisanship. It's aboutprotecting the psychological
foundation of democratic societyitself.
Without empathy, there's nocommon good, no social contract,
and no sustainable future. Withempathy, we have a chance, not
just to survive our currentcrisis, but to build something
(22:47):
better on the other side. Thanksagain for listening to
PsyberSpace. This is your host,Leslie Poston, signing off. And
just leaving you with a requestthat you all become more active
in rehumanizing the peoplearound you.
As always, until next time, staycurious and don't forget to
(23:08):
subscribe so you never miss anepisode.
Welcome to PsyberSpace. I'm your host,
Leslie Poston. This week, we'retalking about empathy. Not the
vague feel good notion tossedaround in HR manuals or
Instagram quotes, but the actualpsychological phenomenon.
Empathy is what allows us toconnect with one another, to
(00:31):
care, to protect, to organize,and to survive.
It's the foundation of moralreasoning and human cooperation,
and it's under attack. Rightnow, empathy is being reframed
as a weakness by authoritarianfigures, by theocratic
extremists, and by media punditswhose entire business model is
(00:54):
to stir resentment. Some of themgo as far as to call empathy a
sin, which is ironic, comingfrom people who claim to worship
a man who literally said, loveyour neighbor as yourself. The
assault on empathy isn't justmoral hypocrisy. It's strategic.
Empathy threatens authoritariancontrol because it humanizes the
(01:17):
people those systems need you tohate. So let's get into the
psychology of what empathyreally is, how it works, why
it's so important, and how it'sbeing systematically dismantled.
We use the word empathy all thetime, but it's often
misunderstood. In psychology,empathy isn't just feeling bad
(01:42):
for someone that's sympathy.Empathy is more complex.
There are actually three types.First, there's cognitive
empathy, the ability tounderstand another person's
perspective, what they might bethinking or feeling. It doesn't
mean you agree with them, itjust means you can see where
they're coming from. Thenthere's emotional empathy, where
(02:06):
you actually feel the emotionsthat someone else is
experiencing. You wince whenthey stub their toe.
You get choked up when theyshare a story of grief. Finally,
there is compassionate empathyor empathetic concern. That's
when your understanding andemotional resonance lead you to
act, to help, to comfort orsupport. In the brain, empathy
(02:30):
involves a network of systems.The mirror neuron system helps
us simulate others' experiences.
The medial prefrontal cortexhelps us think about other
minds, and the insula andanterior cingulate cortex play
roles in the emotional side ofit. These aren't just poetic
metaphors. Empathy is a realmeasurable function of human
(02:54):
cognition and emotion. What'simportant to know is that
empathy isn't some passive,squishy ideal. It's not
weakness.
It's a core human survival skillthat we are biologically wired
to possess and culturallytrained to suppress or express,
depending on what benefitspeople empower. Empathy doesn't
(03:18):
magically appear in adulthood.It begins in infancy. Babies
will cry when they hear otherbabies cry. This is an early
primitive form of affectiveresonance.
As children develop, so doestheir capacity to recognize
others' emotions, take differentperspectives, and eventually act
(03:39):
on that awareness in moral ways.This development doesn't happen
in a vacuum. It's shaped bybabies' caregivers, their
culture, media, the schools theygo to, and their social
interactions. Kids raised inemotionally responsive
environments learn to regulatetheir own feelings and recognize
(04:00):
others' needs. Kids raised inemotionally repressive or
punitive environments learn tonumb themselves and often
project that numbness outward ascruelty.
Empathy also plays a fundamentalrole in how societies function.
It's what allows forreciprocity, cooperation, mutual
(04:21):
aid, and trust. You can't have aworking society without some
baseline ability to imagineother people's experiences. In
fact, from an evolutionaryperspective, empathy gave us a
huge survival advantage. It letearly humans cooperate, share
resources, care for the sick,and protect the vulnerable.
(04:46):
Empathy isn't some New Ageluxury. It's why we've made it
this far as a species. And yet,because it's so essential, it's
also incredibly vulnerable tomanipulation. Empathy doesn't
thrive in systems designed todominate. Research into right
(05:06):
wing authoritarianism shows aconsistent pattern.
Those who score high onauthoritarian traits tend to
score lower on measures ofempathy. And that's not a
coincidence. It's becauseauthoritarian systems depend on
clear ingroups and outgroups.They rely on obedience, not
understanding, on loyalty andnot compassion. If you can
(05:30):
empathize with the other, quote,the scapegoat, the enemy, then
the whole system breaks down.
You're not supposed to seeasylum seekers as people fleeing
violence. You're supposed to seethem as invaders. You're not
supposed to see trans kids aschildren seeking safety. You're
supposed to see them as threats.This dehumanization is required
(05:53):
for authoritarian cruelty to beacceptable.
That's why authoritarianmessaging often frames empathy
as dangerous. It warns againstbeing too soft, too emotional,
too influenced by feelings. Thisis strategic. It trains people
to view human connection as athreat to order. It also creates
(06:14):
an environment where crueltybecomes normalized and even
celebrated.
Think about the cheers atrallies when someone is mocked
for being poor, disabled, ormarginalized. That's not
political strategy it's massemotional conditioning. What's
especially insidious about thisconditioning is how it exploits
(06:35):
the cognitive biases we allshare. When we're afraid, our
empathy naturally narrows. Ourbrains prioritize survival over
understanding.
Authoritarians know this anddeliberately stoke fear to shut
down empathetic response. Theycreate an artificial state of
emergency where there's no roomfor nuance or compassion. The
(06:59):
strategic erosion of empathyalso manifests in language
manipulation. Notice how certainterms get weaponized. Woke
becomes a slur againstcompassion.
Politically correct transformsconsideration into weakness.
Snowflake mocks emotionalsensitivity. This linguistic
(07:19):
framing is calculated to makeempathy seem not just
unnecessary but actively harmfulto social order. When language
itself becomes hostile toemotional connection, people
begin to self censor theirnatural empathetic responses to
avoid social punishment. Wetalked more about this last
week, so go listen to thatepisode if you'd like more
(07:41):
detail.
This process is furtherreinforced by what psychologists
like to call cognitive closure.That's the desire for clear,
simple answers in a complexworld. Empathy is messy. It
requires sitting with ambiguity,having multiple perspectives,
and understanding and acceptingemotional discomfort.
(08:03):
Authoritarian ideology offersthe opposite.
Absolute certainty, black andwhite thinking, clear villains
and heroes. For peopleoverwhelmed by complexity, this
certainty feels like relief,even if it requires shutting
down their natural empatheticresponses, a core part of their
(08:23):
humanity. Nowhere is thisemotional conditioning more
grotesque than in theweaponization of religions and
spirituality. Christiannationalism, in particular, has
hijacked the language of moralvirtue to justify acts of
extreme cruelty. Their sameJesus, who said, Blessed are the
(08:45):
merciful, is now invoked tosupport policies that punish the
poor, ban refugees, andcriminalize compassion.
This isn't accidental. It's apsychological maneuver. It
shifts the moral foundation fromcare and harm to loyalty,
authority, and purity. JonathanHaidt's research into moral
(09:07):
foundations theory helps explainthis. For some people, moral
decisions aren't rooted inempathy, but in hierarchy and
obedience.
We have an episode on that aswell, so just look for vertical
versus horizontal morality a fewweeks back. Those hierarchical
systems are fertile ground forpeople that want to replace
(09:28):
kindness with control. In thisframework, empathy is framed not
only as weakness, but as sin.Helping the wrong person becomes
a betrayal. Loving the wrongneighbor becomes an act of
rebellion against divine order.
And so cruelty becomes a kind ofreligious performance, a way to
prove belonging to the in groupthrough exclusion and harm to
(09:50):
the out group. And that's notChristianity. That's
Christovascism. And it'sdevastating people's ability to
care. The theological distortionrequired for this shift is
profound.
If you are Christian I am notbut if you are the Jesus of the
Gospels repeatedly violatedsocial boundaries to show
(10:12):
compassion, touching lepers,speaking to Samaritans,
defending women accused ofsexual impropriety. He
explicitly challenged rigidinterpretations of religious law
that harmed vulnerable people.Yet contemporary Christian
nationalism presents a versionof this faith where protecting
boundaries matters more thancrossing them to show kindness.
(10:35):
What makes this notablyeffective as a psychological
weapon is how it creates a moralcover for dehumanization. If you
can frame cruelty as divinejustice, you can bypass normal
empathetic restraints.
You can sleep at night whilesupporting policies that cage
children or deny health care tothe poor because you convinced
(10:56):
yourself that your cruelty isactually a form of tough love,
or worse, God's will. This isn'tjust theological error. It's
emotional manipulation on amassive scale. As empathy is
devalued, something else takesits place, spite. Spite is one
of the most dangerous socialemotions.
(11:18):
It's not just indifference toother suffering, it's the desire
to make others suffer even if ithurts you too. You can see this
in the rise of quote own thelibs politics where the goal
isn't to solve problems, but tohumiliate others. And
conversely, you can see it inthe FAFO politics that we're
(11:39):
seeing from Democrats to theMAGA Republicans right now. It
works both ways. You see it inpolicies that make life harder
for marginalized groups, evenwhen they don't materially
benefit the people pushing forthem.
Denying health care, banningbooks, restricting rights, These
things don't help most people,but they do scratch an emotional
(12:00):
itch, punishing people who aredifferent. Spite flourishes when
people feel powerless. It givesthem a twisted sense of agency.
They think if I can't be safe orprosperous, at least I can make
sure someone else suffers. Thatmindset spreads like a virus,
and it's fatal to a democracybecause a democracy depends on
(12:22):
shared humanity.
We're seeing a cultural shiftfrom asking what do others need
to how can I make others pay?And that's not just sad. It's
unsustainable. The psychology ofspite has been studied
extensively, and what'sinteresting is how easily it can
be triggered. In economic games,people will often accept
(12:45):
personal losses just to ensureothers lose more.
This isn't rational from a selfinterest perspective. It's
emotionally driven, and isbecoming a dominant force in our
politics. What makes spiteexceptionally dangerous is that
it's self reinforcing. Oncespite becomes a cultural norm,
(13:06):
it creates reciprocal hostility.Those targeted respond
defensively, which confirms theinitial negative beliefs.
This makes a feedback loop ofmutual antagonism that's
incredibly difficult to break.Each side feels increasingly
justified in their contempt. Themedia ecosystem worsens this
(13:27):
dynamic by rewardingperformative cruelty with
attention and social currency.Online platforms amplify the
most emotionally provocativecontent, creating incentives for
ever more extreme displays ofdehumanization. What begins as
political disagreement morphsinto existential hatred, and at
(13:48):
that point, democracy itselfbecomes impossible because you
can't share power with peopleyou no longer see as fully
human.
Psychologists have identified aphenomenon called social
dominance orientation, apersonality trait measuring
one's preference for hierarchyand dominance in social systems.
People high in this trait aremore likely to engage in spite
(14:10):
driven behaviors, especiallywhen they perceive threats to
existing power structures.They're not just indifferent to
suffering, they actively supportpolicies created if those
policies maintain hierarchiesthey value. This explains why
some voters consistently supportpolicies against their economic
self interest. They're notconfused about what benefits
(14:33):
them financially.
They're prioritizing statusprotection over material gain.
The emotional satisfaction ofmaintaining hierarchy outweighs
the practical benefits ofcooperation for them. This is a
dangerous tradeoff thatauthoritarian movements exploit
masterfully. The good news isthat empathy isn't fixed. It can
(14:57):
be cultivated and rebuilt.
Programs like Roots of Empathy,for example, used in schools
around the world, show us thateven young children can develop
stronger empathetic skills whenthey're given the tools and
emotional models. Restorativejustice circles in schools and
in courts have also shownpowerful results in creating
emotional understanding acrossconflict lines. Narrative is
(15:21):
another powerful tool.Neuroscientist Paul Zak's work
shows us that stories,especially those with emotional
arcs, stimulate oxytocinproduction and help people
connect with others'experiences. When we consume
stories with depth andvulnerability, we feel more
connected to the people in themand, by extension, the people in
(15:41):
our own lives.
Importantly, empathy can bemodeled in everyday life. When
we refuse to dehumanize othersin conversation, when we
interrupt cruelty instead ofletting it slide, when we listen
without needing to fix or todominate, we're building social
empathy circuits in the peoplearound us. And neuroscience
(16:02):
confirms these circuits areplastic. They can atrophy, but
they can also regenerate. What'sfascinating about empathy from a
neuroscience perspective is thatit operates on multiple levels
simultaneously.
At the most basic level, wheremirror neurons fire when we
observe others, creates asimulation of their experience
(16:24):
in our own minds. But higherlevel perspective taking
requires executive function, theability to mentally step outside
ourselves and imagine another'sreality. So this means empathy
involves both automaticunconscious processes and
conscious deliberate ones. Thisdual nature is actually great
(16:44):
news for empathy restoration.Even when unconscious empathetic
responses have been suppressedthrough cultural conditioning,
we can consciously practiceperspective taking.
With time, this practicerebuilds the neural pathways
that make empathy feel naturalagain. It's similar to physical
therapy after an injury. Withconsistent exercise, function
(17:07):
returns. Research on prejudicereduction supports this.
Meaningful contact betweengroups, collaborative projects
with shared goals, andperspective taking exercises all
show measurable effects inreducing dehumanization.
Even brief interventions cancreate significant shifts. For
example, studies where peoplewere asked to write about the
(17:30):
world from another person'sperspective showed immediate
increases in empathetic concernand reductions in stereotyping.
This suggests that while theassault on empathy is real and
dangerous, it's notirreversible. Empathy can be
deliberately cultivated throughboth individual practice and
institutional design. Schoolsthat incorporate social
(17:53):
emotional learning showmeasurable improvements in
students' empathetic abilities.
Workplaces that rewardcollaborative problem solving
rather than cutthroatcompetition show higher levels
of prosocial behavior. Mediathat represents complex
humanizing portrayals acrosspolitical and cultural lines can
(18:13):
expand our circle of moralconcern. So how do we protect
empathy in a world that's tryingto erase it? We start small. We
build microcultures of care inour families, our friend groups,
our workplaces, our classrooms.
Basically, we build community.We choose connection over
(18:33):
contempt. We tell stories thatreveal the full humanity of
others. We resist cruelty, notonly politically but
emotionally. Empathy does notmean we agree with everyone or
that we excuse harm.
It means we recognize thehumanity in others, even when
it's inconvenient. It meanswe're willing to be vulnerable,
(18:56):
even when that's unfashionable.And it means we protect each
other, not because we have to,but because we choose to.
Empathy is not passive, it'sprotective. Empathy is
resistance.
And right now, it might be oneof the most radical things that
you can practice. In practicalterms, this means creating what
(19:17):
we call brave spaces,environments where difficult
conversations can happen withboth honesty and care. It means
practicing moral courage, havingthe willingness to speak up when
others are dehumanized even atpersonal cost. It means
intentionally exposing ourselvesto perspectives and experiences
(19:37):
beyond our comfort zones, not tochange our core values, but to
expand our understanding. On alarger scale, it means
supporting systems and policiesthat structurally enable empathy
rather than sabotage it.
Universal healthcare, forexample, is not just about
medical access. It's aboutcreating a society where we
(19:59):
acknowledge our sharedvulnerability and collective
responsibility for each other'swell-being. Education that
emphasizes critical thinking andcultural understanding isn't
woke indoctrination. It'spreparation for citizenship in a
complex, diverse democracy.Media literacy isn't just about
(20:19):
spotting fake news.
It's about recognizing emotionalmanipulation that targets our
fear in our tribal instincts.History offers us powerful
example. During World War II,citizens in Nazi occupied
Denmark wore yellow stars insolidarity with their Jewish
neighbors. During the AIDScrisis, straight allies joined
(20:41):
ACCA to demand medical researchand humane treatment. During Jim
Crow, white students joinedFreedom Rides despite violent
reprisals.
And there was even a WhitePanthers created to support and
amplify what the Black Pantherswere doing that's not really
well talked about. And theseweren't just political acts.
(21:03):
They were empathetic ones. Theyrepresented the refusal to
accept the dehumanization ofothers even when it would have
been easier and safer to comply.Today, we face similar choices.
Do we laugh at cruelty orinterrupt it? Do we consume
media that deepens ourunderstanding or that inflames
(21:23):
our hatred? Do we practicecuriosity or condemnation when
we're faced with somethingthat's different? These aren't
abstract, philosophicalquestions. They are daily
decisions that we need to makethat shape our neural pathways
and our social fabric.
And of course, empathy aloneisn't enough. We need justice,
(21:43):
accountability, and systemicchange. But empathy is the
psychological foundation thatmakes those larger
transformations possible. Andwithout it, even the best
systems fail because they'll beimplemented by people who are
unable to recognize each other'shumanity. Perhaps most
importantly, practicing empathyin a hostile environment
(22:03):
requires community.
None of us can maintainempathetic connection in
isolation. We need spaces whereour own humanity is recognized
and affirmed so that we canextend that recognition to
others. Finding or creatingthose spaces might be the single
most important act of resistanceagainst authoritarian emotional
(22:24):
control we could make. And thisisn't about political
partisanship. It's aboutprotecting the psychological
foundation of democratic societyitself.
Without empathy, there's nocommon good, no social contract,
and no sustainable future. Withempathy, we have a chance, not
just to survive our currentcrisis, but to build something
(22:47):
better on the other side. Thanksagain for listening to
PsyberSpace. This is your host,Leslie Poston, signing off. And
just leaving you with a requestthat you all become more active
in rehumanizing the peoplearound you.
As always, until next time, staycurious and don't forget to
(23:08):
subscribe so you never miss anepisode.
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