The certitude of a person's preferences is often based on the people they like rather than objective qualities. People are more drawn to those who convey genuine emotion through storytelling.
It is difficult to find empathy for people who engage in evil activities despite the knowledge that they may not be inherently evil. When people find a belief system that validates their destructive impulses, they begin to see their actions as virtues instead of recognising them as cruel or damaging.
Empathy is the consideration of another person's mental space in relation to how they see the world, while narcissism is often described as the opposite of empathy. However, it is possible for narcissists to have empathic attunement or mentalization without caring for others.
Tim Ferriss explains how reading quotes like one from Marcus Aurelius can help him have greater empathy throughout the day by being less reactive.
The author conducted a study on college students' cynicism about empathy and found that non-cynics were able to make ideologically diverse friends. Empathy is crucial in fostering connections and moving towards a less divided country.