Against sympathy

In a world that seems selfish, narcissistic, and fractured, a greater dose of empathy would certainly be wonderful. But that‘s not the case from the perspective of psychology professor Paul Bloom, who sees empathy, in general, as one of the negative emotions in human life. It‘s "not cholesterol. It‘s sugary soda—tempting, delicious, and also bad for us." This book, "Against Empathy," attempts to explain the reasons behind Bloom‘s opinion. Throughout the chapters, Bloom develops a compelling argument against empathy, outlining why insight, kindness, self-control, and compassion are far superior alternatives, occupying a central place in what he calls a morally sound life. He distinguished between emotional empathy, manifested in the saying "put yourself in someone else‘s shoes and feel their pain," and cognitive empathy, linked to perception and social intelligence, and understanding how others experience the world without needing to become emotionally involved. Despite the debates the book raised about empathy, compassion, and moral decision-making, and the mechanisms by which they all operate, he was able to argue that empathy can motivate us to be kinder and make the world a better place.