Authored by Stu Cvrk via The Epoch Times,
There is a growing concern about the concept of suicidal empathy among those who are deeply troubled by the apparent disintegration of Western civilization, particularly American culture.
Suicidal empathy can be described as an excess or misdirected compassion that prioritizes short-term emotional responses over cultural norms, long-term societal stability, and personal well-being. This phenomenon can lead to self-destructive consequences for individuals or societies, as traditional values are abandoned in favor of false ideals like equity, and robust nationalism is replaced by unchecked multiculturalism and moral decay.
An example of this is the European Union’s open borders policy, which resulted in an influx of people from the Middle East and Africa in the name of “empathy for the poor,” without considering assimilation.
But who benefits from this chaos and turmoil?
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stands to gain from any disturbance that weakens Western civilization, as it exploits anything that undermines the United States and its allies.
Some believe that Beijing covertly amplifies elements of suicidal empathy in the West—excessive compassion, cultural relativism, polarization, and tolerance of non-assimilating immigrants—as a low-cost, asymmetric tactic in its hybrid war against the United States.
Let’s delve deeper into this issue.
Understanding Suicidal Empathy
Lebanese-Canadian evolutionary psychologist Gad Saad introduced the term in 2024 to describe excessive, misdirected, or hyperactive empathy that leads to self-destructive behavior. Saad, known for his controversial views, explains how suicidal empathy fuels issues like open borders, cultural chaos, and self-sabotage in the United States and the Western world.
He argues that prioritizing compassion for potential threats, outsiders, or criminals over the safety, security, and long-term survival of one’s own group has resulted in questionable policy decisions by liberal governments in the West.
Saad criticizes “woke” culture, political correctness, Islamofascism, and what he sees as the Marxist corruption of academia, which he classifies as “idea pathogens”—harmful ideologies that replace traditional values.
Critics point to elite-driven immigration policies, motivated by suicidal empathy, as contributing to the persistence of culturally isolated communities and debates surrounding Islamist activism in immigrant-heavy areas.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) confer during a hearing about fraud in Minnesota at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 7, 2026. Federal prosecutors filed charges against dozens of people in Minnesota, many from the area’s Somali community, for stealing taxpayer dollars through fraudulent social services schemes. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Recent federal prosecutions have exposed large-scale fraud schemes involving Somali-American defendants, revealing failures of oversight and eroding public trust in government institutions due to bureaucratic incompetence and fear of discrimination.
This reluctance to enforce rules rigorously—suicidal empathy—can weaken accountability and invite abuse, harming taxpayers and the communities policies are meant to protect.
These fractures in American society play into the hands of the CCP, as anything that weakens or causes chaos in America benefits the communists.
CCP’s Exploitation of Suicidal Empathy
The concept of “unrestricted warfare,” advocated by People’s Liberation Army Colonels Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui in 1999, promotes non-military methods to weaken adversaries like the United States without direct armed conflict.
Today, the CCP leverages various forms of hybrid warfare, including exploiting suicidal empathy, to advance its objectives. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has recognized chaos as a tool for Chinese global dominance.
The CCP uses united front actions to influence Western academia and media, amplifying societal divisions in their hybrid war strategy. By using proxies, disinformation, funding networks, and diaspora communities, the CCP exacerbates polarization in the U.S. on issues like race, immigration, and cancel culture.
Chinese state media, Chinese embassies, and CCP-funded groups publicly express empathy for protected classes in America, supporting illegal immigrants to align with the suicidal empathy pushed by American elites.
The CCP also uses fake social media accounts to incite public discourse and protests, such as during the Black Lives Matter movement, to portray the U.S. as racially oppressive. Pro-CCP actors on social media promote chaos to erode public trust in American institutions.
The CCP indirectly funds activist groups promoting “woke” ideology and protests against law enforcement, exacerbating social discord.
For instance, American tech millionaire Neville Roy Singham allegedly funds organizations like the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which incited violence during the Los Angeles riots. Singham’s network supports groups promoting progressive causes on campuses while amplifying social justice themes.
Final Thoughts
Has Gad Saad identified a critical issue with his theory of suicidal empathy and its impact on Western civilization?
The CCP’s actions in spreading chaos and division in America indicate their understanding of the power of suicidal empathy. By exploiting societal vulnerabilities, the communists further their hybrid warfare objectives and global dominance agenda.
The CCP’s suppression of empathy in China contrasts with their promotion of suicidal empathy in America, highlighting their strategic use of societal weaknesses for their benefit.
Opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.
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