Empathy Quote by Paul Bloom
“Because of empathy, stories of the suffering of one person could lead us into a war that could kill millions of people.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Against Empathy, Paul Bloom, 2016
Warns that empathic stories can trigger disproportionate conflict, potentially leading to large-scale violence.
In simple terms: Empathy for one can spark broader wars.
Key Takeaway
Beware of selective empathy.
Themes
empathy
conflict
ethics
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- International relations
- media coverage
- policy debates
Key Concepts
moral psychology
group dynamics
political violence
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance empathy with rational analysis?
- What safeguards prevent empathy from inflaming conflict?
A Different Perspective
Empathy alone may not resolve systemic issues.
![“Our best hope for the future [...] lies in an appreciation of the fact that, even if we don’t empathize with distant strangers, their lives have the same value as the lives of those we love.” quote by Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/630/paul-bloom-3720_appreciation_our-best-hope-for-the-future-lies-in-an_177200.jpg)
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
