Zero Degrees of Empathy

A fascinating take on why humans perpetrate cruelty. Baron-Cohen, a Cambridge academic (and uncle of Sacha, also known as Borat), offers a novel perspective: saying something or someone is evil is simply not sufficient. It's a convenient explanation but offers no insight into "why". Baron-Cohen's assertion is that individuals' empathy monitors are effectively turned off, whether temporarily (regarding rash actions), or permanently (if, for example, you are psychotic or narcissistic). Think of empathy, or degrees of empathy (hence the title), as existing on a spectrum similar to autism. By way of counsel, Baron-Cohen suggests providing children with a loving and supportive backdrop. Some combination of nature and nurture almost certainly determines where individuals may sit on such a spectrum. I also found Baron-Cohen interesting on autism: perhaps unsurprisingly, autistic individuals lack empathy to the same extent as neurotypical individuals. Lots to take on board. Baron-Cohen's other work on this broad topic has already been ordered, not rated.

By Simon Baron-Cohen