Gad Saad, author and scholar, cautions that Western civilization teeters on the edge of collapse due to misdirected empathy. His book, “Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind,” argues that the West stands on precarious ground by valuing ideological virtue-signaling over truth and common sense.
Saad clarifies his stance on empathy, stating, “Empathy is not inherently bad, as Aristotle taught, all good things should be in moderation.” He warns of the dangers when empathy becomes overactive or targets inappropriate circumstances, leading to what he terms “suicidal empathy.” The reaction of Western society post the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in Israel exemplifies this shift. Sympathy rapidly shifted from Israeli victims as criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza intensified.
Author and professor Gad Saad warns that misguided empathy could bring Western civilization to the brink of collapse.
The backlash against Israel, following the Hamas attacks, indicates ongoing ideological changes within the West. Saad refers to misplaced empathy transforming into “civilizational seppuku,” akin to the ritual suicide associated with Japanese samurai. He connects these concepts to ideas born on university campuses spreading into politics, media, and culture, resulting in a society discomforted with defining basic concepts like gender.
Saad references the US Supreme Court confirmation hearing where Justice Katanji Brown Jackson, facing Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s question to define “woman,” responded, “I’m not a biologist.” He mocks this, doubting ordinary people’s inability to recognize obvious realities without expert consultation.
Saad fears this worldview’s real-world implications, such as rising antisemitism. He warns, “A society normalizing Jew hatred shows substantial moral decay.” Despite experiencing minimal antisemitism in Canada initially, Saad notes a disturbing increase since 1998. As a professor at Concordia University, he announced a leave due to hostile campus atmospheres against outspoken Jewish voices.
Saad currently works at the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom, University of Mississippi, and will be a distinguished professor next year. He reflects on the effects of President Donald Trump’s election, underscoring the limitations of political shifts in altering deep-rooted cultural ideologies. True cultural change requires substantial time.
Even amid backlash against these ideologies, Saad sees fear in academia. He observes that while some professors commend his work, they often request anonymity, highlighting reluctance to confront prevailing ideologies. He challenges this caution by stating, “Such cowardly requests suggest few are willing to fight this battle.”
Rachel Wolf reports for Fox News Digital, focusing on media and culture.
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