The Suicidal Empathy Scam: A Closer Look at the Right’s Latest Attack on Progressives

The concept of “suicidal empathy” has been gaining traction among right-wing elites, with high-profile figures like Elon Musk and Marc Andreessen promoting it as a critique of liberal values. At its core, this argument claims that progressives are so focused on helping those in need, particularly foreigners and strangers, that they disregard the interests of their own family and community.

A recent study published in Political Psychology provides some much-needed context. Researchers used the Moral Expansiveness Scale to survey participants’ moral priorities. They found that liberals do not prioritize distant others over close family members. Instead, what sets them apart from conservatives is their willingness to extend moral concern outward – to include animals, plants, and future generations.

The right’s narrative around “suicidal empathy” relies heavily on a 2019 study that seemed to show liberals valuing foreigners more than their own family. However, this research had limitations. The heatmaps used in the study were interpreted as proof of a moral inversion among liberals, where they prioritize distant strangers over close others. But what if we’re looking at this through the wrong lens?

The new study suggests that ideology predicts how far out someone’s moral circle of concern goes, rather than who is prioritized within it. This means that conservatives and liberals may both prioritize their family and community, but conservatives draw a tighter boundary around those groups. In contrast, liberals are more willing to extend empathy and concern to a broader range of individuals and causes.

This nuanced understanding should be the basis for our discussion around “suicidal empathy.” Instead of accepting the right’s simplistic narrative, we should examine the implications of this research on social policies and values. For instance, how does the fact that liberals are more willing to allocate resources to distant others – like animals or future generations – impact our approach to climate change, immigration, and economic inequality?

Moreover, what is being overlooked in the right’s critique is not that progressives value strangers over family, but rather that they recognize the interconnectedness of human experience. By extending moral concern outward, liberals are acknowledging that individual well-being is tied to the well-being of others – whether near or far.

The “suicidal empathy” narrative serves as a warning sign for those who seek to dismantle social safety nets and redirect resources toward corporate interests. It’s a clever way to mask self-interest behind a veneer of moral outrage, implying that those who prioritize human rights and social justice are somehow suicidal. But the truth is more complex – and it’s time we started looking at it through a different lens.

As we consider these findings, let’s be clear: the research does not suggest that conservatives are inherently selfish or that liberals are bleeding-heart altruists. Rather, it highlights the importance of considering multiple perspectives and acknowledging the complexities of human values. By doing so, we may uncover a more nuanced understanding of what it means to care – and how we can work together toward a more empathetic society.