Author and scholar Gad Saad warns that Western civilization faces potential collapse due to distorted empathy. His new book, “Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind,” argues that Western society prioritizes virtue-signaling over truth and common sense. Saad clarifies that empathy itself is not negative, but overemphasis or misapplication can lead to harmful consequences.
Saad uses the reaction to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks as an example of this phenomenon, indicating that initial sympathy for Israeli victims soon shifted amid criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. He notes that the massacre of over 1,200 Jews was quickly overshadowed, displaying what he terms “suicidal empathy.” Saad traces ideological shifts affecting the West back several decades, originating on college campuses and permeating politics, media, and culture.
He cites debates over basic concepts like gender as evidence of a cultural discomfort with objective definitions. Referring to Justice Katanji Brown Jackson’s 2022 Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Saad criticizes her refusal to define “woman” without biological expertise.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Saad mocked this logic, suggesting it overlooks obvious realities. He highlights antisemitism as a serious consequence of such ideologies, expressing concern over societal acceptance of Jew hatred.
As a Jewish individual who fled Lebanon in the 1970s and settled in Canada, Saad reports escalating antisemitism since 1998. He notes the challenges faced as a Jewish Concordia University professor and recently announced a leave of absence in 2024 due to the hostile environment. Saad currently serves at the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom and will be a distinguished professor at the University of Mississippi next year.
Despite assumptions that DEI and gender theories would decline under President Donald Trump, Saad emphasizes the limits of presidential influence, underscoring the need for long-term cultural solutions. He observes some backing against these ideologies but cautions that many academics still fear speaking out. Saad encourages courage among peers, lamenting that anonymity requests reveal reluctance to engage publicly.
Rachel Wolf is a media and culture reporter for Fox News Digital.
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