Since the beginning of time, humans have connected with a common emotion — empathy. From consoling each other in difficult times to giving back to our communities, we were always one. Empathy has always made us human. It’s what makes us stand out.
Now, as time progresses, we’ve seen a decline in empathy. But why is there a sudden switch? Certain controversial factors are actively contributing to the empathy drought.
Digital Communication and a Lack of Social Interaction
Our brains have been wired for survival for millions of years. Social interaction has always been essential for our existence and stability. Our brains value social information more than we realise. Loneliness activates threats inside the brain. The negative impact of loneliness contributes to a decrease in empathetic feelings. Even though digital communication is popular and seemingly the most convenient way for a quick chat, there is a decline in social interaction and an increase in loneliness. But you might be wondering, how is this even possible?
To talk to a person online isn’t the same as talking to someone face-to-face. When we talk in real life, our mirror neurons work to identify patterns and observe the person we’re talking to — helping us generate responses and imitate the person’s actions ourselves. However, this interaction is simply not the same online. We pick up our phones every minute to check for new notifications. We no longer have to identify emotions or analyse facial expressions. It’s all about quickly typing and sending. You also have no time limit to respond. This is similar to how you can choose to ghost people or be ghosted by them online. Users often exhibit different behaviours online than in real life, displaying more negative emotions because it is easier to be aggressive and toxic in an online environment where there are no real consequences. So, pause and reflect: can we truly be empathetic by existing on such negative platforms?
Excessive Pornography Consumption
Pornography can kill empathy. It typically rewires the brain to view people, not as human beings with feelings, but as sexual objects. Porn consumers typically do not feel compassion for them, because why feel empathy for an object? As a woman
comes under a sexual gaze, the viewer does not feel the need for consent, as the mind believes the “object” is their property.
An analysis of 50 bestselling adult films showed that male actors are mostly portrayed as being verbally or physically aggressive, whereas female actors are shown as giving neutral or positive responses. Now, consumers would automatically have a lack of empathy for women if they watched such content. Nowadays, it is not surprising to see the lack of empathy for women linked to an increase in sexual violence. This type of poisonous content is embedded in the minds of young people, gradually but efficiently. It ruins people and relationships. You can’t empathise with others’ pain if you see them as objects for your own pleasure.
Empathy, Fatigue or Burnout
Social media platforms are designed to gain engagement and promote content that triggers stronger emotions, leading to doomscrolling. “Doomscrolling” is a phenomenon describing the excessive consumption of negative content, which eventually leads to increased anxiety and triggers negative emotions. Perhaps you’ve doomscrolled yourself at least once. We’re so used to seeing political crises and stories of injustice. Watching all of this through a screen overwhelms the brain. Through continuous scrolling, we experience second-hand emotional exhaustion. All of this drives the brain into overtime, and we go into empathy fatigue or burnout, leading to apathy.
Performative Activism
Social media users have redefined activism. By using social media itself as a tool to raise awareness and show compassion. Many users have “performative empathy,” meaning they may share a post or perhaps comment to show ‘they care’. But really, it’s a form of trying to be validated and liked by the online community.
A good example of this would be the Black Lives Matter movement. In order to support George Floyd, people participated in posting a black square on social media on a Tuesday. While some people showed genuine support by actively participating in protests, others just wanted to be a part of something hot and trending. They posted something one day and disappeared the next. Another example is with the genocide in Palestine. When will we start doing something that truly contributes to the cause instead of making reposts of the next new conflict or problem? It shows people on social media want to be known for being on the right side of history instead of truly showing compassion and empathy.
Conclusion
In the era where the focus has shifted online, we need to understand the consequences of apathy — we are gradually losing the sole emotion that connects humans. Regardless of culture, language, ethnicity or race, we understand and feel each other’s problems. Instead of doomscrolling and burning yourself out, curate what you consume. Instead of relying solely on digital communication, go out there and meet people. Instead of commenting under a post, make a contribution that impacts the problem.