"Suicidal Empathy" author Dr. Gad Saad Wants to Save The West from Itself
Being Jewish with Jonah PlattShow Notes
Why are Jews expected to show empathy to everyone, even those who want them dead?
Dr. Gad Saad, evolutionary psychologist, bestselling author, and newly arrived Jewish immigrant to America, breaks down the provocative thesis behind his New York Times bestseller, Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind.
Saad explains what he calls “suicidal empathy” and how it can lead societies to excuse extremism, overlook threats to Western values, and sacrifice their own safety in the name of tolerance. Using examples including Canada’s handling of returning ISIS fighters, the rise of antisemitism on university campuses, and Jewish activists who turned against Israel after October 7, Saad argues that empathy must be grounded in reality.
He also shares his deeply personal history of growing up Jewish in Lebanon, recalling childhood experiences of antisemitism, including classmates cheering for a boy who declared he wanted to become a “Jew killer.”
Now teaching at the University of Mississippi’s Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom, Saad discusses why he left Canada after receiving death threats, his concerns about immigration and assimilation, and the psychological blind spots that prevent people from recognizing danger until it reaches their own doorstep.
MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
Suicidal Empathy: When Compassion Becomes Dangerous 01:30
Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism & Jewish Self-Hatred 11:50
Jewish Identity, Israel & the Fight Against Antisemitism 20:00
The Threat to Western Civilization & Lessons from Lebanon 29:45 Why Gad Saad Left Canada for America & His Mission to Defend Freedom 44:00
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Gad Saad’s Website
Gad Saad YouTube
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CREDITS: Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Supervising Producer: Alex Alcheh, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Chief of Staff: Abbe Feder, Production Intern: Tova Benarroch, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
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