Question

How does Paul Bloom describe the following situation: Unnecessary gifts and donations poured into a wealthy community after 26 people were murdered in a mass shooting while many of those same empathetic donors protested a small tax to fund food assistance to families living in poverty.

a) Empathetic inconsistency
b) Altruistic paradox
c) Selective empathy
d) Rational compassion

Answer 1

Paul Bloom would likely describe the situation as selective empathy, emphasizing an inconsistency in empathetic responses driven by emotionally poignant events rather than systemic issues.

Step-by-step explanation:

Paul Bloom describes the phenomenon where empathetic donors flood a wealthy community with gifts and donations following a tragedy but resist funding basic services for the poor as an example of selective empathy. This is a scenario where emotion-driven responses to immediate, poignant suffering eclipse the more consistent, measured approach needed to address systemic inequalities like poverty. Bloom advocates for rational compassion, which balances empathy with critical thinking and prioritizes the long-term welfare of individuals over short-term emotional responses.