Empathy Without Limits Can Lead to Harm

Empathy, when taken to extremes without considering broader consequences, can result in significant challenges in public policy and social environments. A cycle of 'suicidal empathy' emerges when immediate emotional responses overshadow the importance of long-term goals, leading to repeated failures in addressing systemic issues. This misalignment between kindness and effective action likens empathy to a misfiring of an otherwise beneficial instinct, such as the adaptive mechanism of scanning for threats. Ultimately, while kindness is valuable, an unwavering focus on empathy can hinder the ability to make rational decisions that are essential for sustainable outcomes.

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