Psychologist argues that empathy is a 'poor moral guide' and often makes things worse

In 2016, Bloom came out with a book titled “Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion,” where he uses personal anecdotes, moments from history, scientific evidence and philosophy to make the argument that empathy, while certainly important, is a poor moral guide. Furthermore, he noted that judgments made from empathy often reflect a bias, as we naturally feel the most empathy for the people who look, speak or behave similarly to us. It's easy to see how that can quickly become a problem.

Instead, Bloom advocates for something he calls rational compassion. In his opinion, our fairest, most equitable decisions happen when there’s a healthy combination of both logic and caring for another. This way, we can be motivated by someone’s feelings to do the right thing, without being stuck (and aimless) in their suffering.

Bloom’s book was ultimately met with mixed reviews, with some calling his work “brilliant and humane” while others deemed it an argument of semantics rather than an unconventional take. Regardless, his work shines a light on the necessity of action for creating positive change, and he makes a compelling case for examining the motivation behind even our best intentions.