The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos How to Feel More Empathy (With the Host of Bad Women: The Ripper Retold)
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Nov 2, 2021 Hallie Rubenhold, a historian known for her podcast "Bad Women: The Ripper Retold," delves into the overlooked lives of Jack the Ripper's victims. She discusses the societal biases that prevent empathy, emphasizing how we often blame victims for their fates. The conversation shifts focus to the complexity of the women's realities, challenging preconceptions about their lives. By sharing their struggles with addiction and homelessness, Hallie underscores the vital need for empathy and understanding, especially in today's overwhelming world.
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Blaming the Victims
- The fundamental attribution error explains why people blame Jack the Ripper's victims.
- We attribute others' actions to their character, ignoring situational factors like poverty or difficult family situations.
Victorian Poverty
- Rubenhold vividly describes the harsh realities of Victorian poverty, including vermin, disease, and lack of basic necessities.
- These conditions led many to use alcohol as a coping mechanism, further perpetuating negative stereotypes.
Just-World Fallacy
- The just-world bias makes us assume victims deserve their fate to maintain our belief in a fair world.
- This bias is evident in reactions to Rubenhold's work, where some refuse to accept the victims' circumstances.
