Our history is full of incredible people committing selfless acts for others, even at risk to themselves. Nowadays, someone falls off their Lime scooter and nobody even helps them. They simply stop and take a photo to post on Yik Yak. So why does it often feel like modern society is becoming less empathetic? A 2010 meta-analysis by the University of Michigan revealed college students have about 40% less empathy than those in the 1980s and ‘90s as measured by data from standard tests of this personality trait in 72 different studies. It seems so obvious that we should care for one another, yet that’s not always the case.
We commonly create “in-groups” in society, making it incredibly hard to empathize with people who are not in our circles because we view them as competition or less deserving. In-groups are a collection of people who share some similar trait or attribute.
“Politics is often intertwined with social identity, things like race, class, social class, religion, ethnic background, even region,” sociology associate professor Mehdi Haghshenas said. “People tend to align themselves with groups that share similar characteristics and beliefs, and it creates some sort of tribalism.”
Everything becomes “them versus us.” It’s necessary to stay updated on everything happening in the news because awareness builds understanding among out-groups and reminds us that we are all connected and affected by each other.
Haghshenas explained the concept of “tribalism,” which describes when people align themselves with groups containing similar characteristics and beliefs. This results in a lack of prosocial behavior, which is when people voluntarily help or empathize with society as a whole, including people who aren’t in their in-groups.
“(It’s) difficult for individuals to consider ideas that go against the values of their own social group, and when political issues become connected to personal identity, then disagreement arises,” Haghshenas said.
Government and economics senior Jaxson Shealy said that the internet has had an effect on people. It’s connected us but also allowed hateful comments and their consequences to hide behind anonymity.
“Because of the algorithm and what incentivizes money and success on these platforms, they’ll say whatever it takes to get seen,” Shealy said. “Children are being more influenced by obnoxious, unsympathetic (and) self-obsessed people.”
Liking just one hateful video or comment can affect your algorithm, pushing you into an echo chamber of harmful ideas. This has specifically affected young people because we are the primary users of social media, and the internet has given many people platforms and followings.
According to research by the Stanford History Education Group, younger demographics don’t know the difference between a real political theorist and a commentator. Because of this, it’s crucial to be aware of the media you’re consuming and the people you’re giving platforms to.
Empathy has real-world consequences. It plays out in issues like gender inequalities, racial injustices, climate change and much more. Even if these problems don’t directly affect us, it’s essential to care and stay engaged. Read the news, make an effort to help others and be involved in what is happening in the world. If we do not impose empathy onto others, when the time comes for us to need help, there will be no one left to help us either.
Thakkar is an economics freshman from Winter Park, Florida.
