In his thought-provoking new book, evolutionary psychologist and marketing professor, Gad Saad, makes a strong case for why many Americans today have an excess of empathy and how it is destroying our country. He shows how excessive empathy, when detached from common sense, logic, and critical thinking, can be harmful to individuals and to society.

Saad agrees that empathy in and of itself is good. Human beings who show empathy and kindness — which correlates to empathy — are more popular, more attractive as potential mates, and more likely to work in the helping professions, such as nursing.

It should be noted here that a lack of empathy is common in criminals, and Saad includes fascinating anecdotes of how criminals and others who lack empathy often use an “empathy ruse” to commit crimes, including murder.

When empathy becomes maladaptive, such as it has in America and the West in general, then the feelings, safety and interests of criminals, illegal immigrants, terrorists, the homeless, and certain identity groups take precedence over legal citizens, crime victims, truth, and logic. This, explains Saad, is “suicidal empathy, a uniquely distinct phenomenon....”

Saad uses real-life examples, such as the BLM riots in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and the murder of Laken Riley, to show the importance of ideology, language manipulation, and the emotions in shaping cultural events while ignoring rational discussion and accountability.

Throughout the book, the author connects the dots that show how the benefits of empathy, kindness, and a willingness to help others can be outweighed by an excess of same. He writes: “I posit that in the current zeitgeist, the collective suicide of the West is occurring via the orgiastic misfiring of one of our most noble virtues, empathy, which of course is deeply anchored within the ethos of progressive liberals.”

Although the book’s title primarily refers to cultural suicide via inverted sympathies, Saad also delves into the topic of actual suicide, from the ancient practice of human sacrifice to the more recent phenomenon of group suicide, such as the Heaven’s Gate mass suicide in 1997.

He points out the critical examples of cultural suicide we face in society today; some of which include:

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion in place of meritocracy.
• The feelings of marginalized, or victim groups vs. the truth.
• An individual’s “truth” must automatically be considered true.
• The welfare of illegal immigrants outweighs that of American veterans and legal citizens.
• Criminals’ feelings and welfare outweigh those of their victims.
• Socialism, or the redistribution of wealth (a form of suicidal empathy), should replace capitalism.

Suicidal Empathy is a follow-up to Saad’s previous works, The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense, and The Saad Truth About Happiness, and builds on his hypothesis that “everything in moderation” is needed for the maximum flourishing of human society. “If you are insufficiently empathetic,” he writes, “you might be a callous psychopath. But if you are indiscriminately hyper-empathetic across all possible targets, this can stunt your ability to navigate through the trials and tribulations of life.”

Finally, while some reviewers, particularly liberals, may dismiss this book as “right wing derangement,” it offers an important cultural assessment that everyone should read. Endorsements from high-profile individuals like Elon Musk (who calls suicidal empathy a “core weakness” that threatens civilization) and thinkers like science writer, Michael Shermer, will add credibility for many readers.

Although Saad is an intellectual who could easily bore us with hard-to-understand psychological shop talk, he does just the opposite. Suicidal Empathy is engaging, funny, and easy to read, and offers an accurate evaluation of the underlying maladies afflicting Western society in the 21st century. While presented with humor, this topic is, with no pun intended, deadly serious.

To read the entire book, go to Amazon.com to order!

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