Empathy is political is the work of the neuroscientist Samah Karaki. Here she challenges the cozy version of empathy we’ve been sold. We often think of empathy as a fuzzy, innate superpower—a simple bridge between two souls.
Here, Karaki pulls back the curtain to show us that we are much more complex. Our empathy is not a neutral biological reflex; it is a socially engineered one.
1. The Myth of the “Universal” Brain
Traditional neuroscience often treats the brain like a vacuum. Karaki argues that our neural pathways are carved by the world around us. From the moment we are born, social norms shape the biology of our feelings.
- Selective Resonance: Our brains are wired to “resonate” more easily with those we perceive as part of our “in-group.”
- The Empathy Gap: When we encounter someone outside our social or political circle, the mirror neuron system (the part of the brain that helps us “feel” others’ pain) often fires less intensely.
This isn’t just “human nature”—it’s a result of living in structures that tell us whose pain matters and whose doesn’t.
2. How Social Norms Become Biological Realities
Karaki explores the concept of neuroplasticity through a political lens. Growing up in a society that dehumanizes a specific group, your brain actually learns to suppress empathetic responses toward that group.
“Empathy is not a fixed resource; it is a directed one.”
- Stress and Scarcity: When political systems create environments of high stress or resource scarcity, the brain shifts into “survival mode.” In this state, the prefrontal cortex—which manages complex social reasoning and empathy—often takes a backseat. Therefore, the amygdala manages fear.
- Validation of Hierarchy: Social norms that prioritize hierarchy over equality actually “train” our biology to feel less for those at the bottom of the ladder.
3. Empathy as a Political Choice
If empathy is shaped by politics, then reclaiming it is a political act. Karaki suggests that we cannot simply “will” ourselves to be more empathetic. Instead, we must:
- Question our “Reflexes”: Recognize that feeling “nothing” for a distant tragedy isn’t a personal moral failure, but a sign of how our social environment has tuned our nervous system.
- Dismantle Structural Barriers: We cannot have “universal empathy” in a world of systemic inequality. To change how we feel, we must change how we live.
- Active Exposure: By intentionally engaging with “out-group” narratives, we can begin to rewire the neural pathways that social norms have built over the years.
The Key Takeaway
Samah Karaki’s insights remind us that our emotions are not just “us”—they are a reflection of the world we’ve built. Empathy isn’t just about being “nice”; it’s about the radical work of decolonizing our brains and expanding the circle of who we consider “human.”