The Saad Truth with Dr. Saad The Parasitic Mind and Suicidal Empathy - Hosted by Prof. Glenn Diesen (The Saad Truth with Dr. Saad_909)
22 snips
Nov 1, 2025 
Gad Saad, an evolutionary behavioral scientist and author, joins to discuss his latest work, including the provocative concept of 'suicidal empathy.' He explores how empathy can be weaponized by ideologies that prioritize out-groups, leading to detrimental outcomes. Saad critiques progressive cultural self-sacrifice and compares contemporary ideologies to parasitic beliefs that distort logic and reason. He also discusses the consequences of these ideas on societal norms and warns of the dangers posed by 'parasitized minds' in positions of power.
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When Empathy Becomes Maladaptive
- Empathy is adaptive when targeted correctly but becomes harmful when dysregulated as "suicidal empathy."
- Gad Saad argues this maladaptive empathy sacrifices in-group interests for out-groups and corrodes fitness-oriented judgment.
Progressive Costly Signaling
- Saad locates modern suicidal empathy primarily in left/progressive politics claiming exclusive moral ownership of compassion.
- He contends costly signaling of empathy leads to sacrificing culture, children, and traditions to prove virtue.
British Grooming Scandals Example
- Saad recounts the British grooming scandals where authorities reportedly protected perpetrators over victims to avoid reputational harm.
- He uses this as an extreme example of suicidal empathy sacrificing children's safety for perceived social virtue.
