A controversial call to arms by one of the world's leading psychologists, Against Empathy reveals how the natural impulse to share the feelings of others leads to cruel and irrational behavior on both the world stage and at home. With precision and wit, Paul Bloom demonstrates how empathy distorts our judgment in every aspect of our lives, from philanthropy and charity to the justice system; from medical care and education to parenting and marriage. Without empathy, Bloom insists, our decisions would be clearer, fairer, and--yes--ultimately more moral.

An intriguing counterattack to modern psychological cynicism.

An invigorating, relevant, and often very funny re-evaluation of empathy, one of our culture's most ubiquitous sacred cows.

Bloom shows that empathy is often just the warm embrace of prejudice-and, like anger, a reliable source of moral confusion...A thrilling book.

Bloom's analysis is penetrating, comprehensive, and timely...destined to become a classic in psychology.

Brilliant, powerful, and provocative, Against Empathy is sure to be one of the most controversial books of our time.

I couldn't put this brilliantly argued book down.

Narrator Karen Cass' affecting narration adds the dramatic flair needed to keep the action moving-even when the author's distinctions and arguments are challenging. Her confidence and appealing British diction provide the elegance needed to make Bloom's ruthless clarity digestible.

Provocative...In a time of post-truth politics, his book offers a much-needed call for facts.

Psychologist Bloom makes the provocative argument that empathy is not the vital catalyst for human morality it is thought to be.

Refreshing.

A controversial call to arms by one of the world’s leading psychologists, Against Empathy reveals how the natural impulse to share the feelings  of others can do more harm than good both on the world stage and in our personal lives.

We often think of our capacity to experience the suffering of others as the ultimate source of goodness. Many of our wisest policy makers, activists, scientists, and philosophers agree that the only problem with empathy is that we don’t have enough of it.

Nothing could be further from the truth, argues Yale researcher Paul Bloom. In Against Empathy, Bloom reveals empathy to be one of the leading motivators of inequality and immorality in society. Far from helping us to improve the lives of others, empathy is a capricious and irrational emotion that appeals to our narrow prejudices. It muddles our judgment and, ironically, often leads to cruelty. We are at our best when we are smart enough not to rely on it but to draw instead upon a more distanced compassion.

Basing his argument on groundbreaking scientific findings, Bloom makes the case that some of the worst decisions made by individuals and nations—whom to give money to, when to go to war, how to respond to climate change, and whom to imprison—are too often motivated by honest, yet misplaced, emotions. With precision and wit, he demonstrates how empathy distorts our judgment in every aspect of our lives, from philanthropy and charity to the justice system and from medical care and education to parenting and marriage. Without empathy, Bloom insists, our decisions would be clearer, fairer, and—yes—ultimately more moral.

Brilliantly argued, urgent, and humane, Against Empathy shows us that when it comes to both major policy decisions and the choices we make in our everyday lives limiting our impulse toward empathy is often the most compassionate choice we can make.