Crash Course: Do conservatives really have an empathy deficit? This is what social science says

A new study on pandemic behavior finds another link between ideology and empathy [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci81NTE2VwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (BRIDGET BENNETT/AFP via Getty Images) Do conservatives really have an empathy deficit? This is what social science says It's the ["unvaccinated and conspiracy-theory minded with anger against authority issues"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RSaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMTUvbXktaHVzYmFuZC1pbnRlbnRpb25hbGx5LWV4cG9zZWQtbXktZmFtaWx5LXRvLTE5L1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) guy who deliberately exposes his family to COVID. It's the [defiantly maskless Republican](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMDcvMzAvZm9ybWVyLXJlcHVibGljYW4tcHJlc2lkZW50aWFsLWNhbmRpZGF0ZS1oZXJtYW4tY2Fpbi1kaWVzLWZyb20tY29tcGxpY2F0aW9ucy1vZi1jb3ZpZC0xOS1hdC03NC9XA3NwY0IKY0fINU1jLSnKplIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) attending a 2020 Trump rally (who dies of the virus shortly after). It's [the "Proud Boy to rank-and-file supporters"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMjQvaW5zdXJyZWN0aW9uLWJ5LW90aGVyLW1lYW5zLXRoZS1mYXItcmlnaHQtaXMtdXNpbmctYW50aS12YXh4LXNlbnRpbWVudC10by1yYWRpY2FsaXplL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) gathering at an anti-vaccine "Defeat the Mandates" protest. We've spent nearly three years now, witnessing and often suffering from the behaviors of conservatives who refused to abide by COVID guidelines — or even acknowledge the crisis. And the question that keeps coming up around family dinner tables and in heated exchanges at big box stores is — Do these people just not care about anybody else? [Read the rest from Mary Elizabeth Williams.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvZG8tY29uc2VydmF0aXZlcy1yZWFsbHktaGF2ZS1hbi1lbXBhdGh5LWRlZmljaXQtdGhpcy1pcy13aGF0LXNvY2lhbC1zY2llbmNlLXNheXMvVwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) (Seth Herald/Getty Images) "U.S. Jews have to get their act together," says the former president of the United States Early Sunday morning, former President Donald Trump fired up [Truth Social](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RJaHR0cHM6Ly90cnV0aHNvY2lhbC5jb20vdXNlcnMvcmVhbERvbmFsZFRydW1wL3N0YXR1c2VzLzEwOTE3NzgxNzkzMjgxMTE5MFcDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to express views that many are viewing as anti-Semitic. Seemingly set out to berate Jewish Americans over what he perceives as being a lack of support for Israel, Trump said "U.S. Jews have to get their act together and appreciate what they have in Israel - Before it is too late!" [Read the rest from Kelly McClure.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvdXMtamV3cy1oYXZlLXRvLWdldC10aGVpci1hY3QtdG9nZXRoZXItc2F5cy10aGUtZm9ybWVyLW9mLXRoZS11bml0ZWQtc3RhdGVzL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - [Chocolate pumpkin cake](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvY2hvY29sYXRlLXB1bXBraW4tY2FrZS1kZXNlcnZlcy10by1iZS15b3VyLWZhdm9yaXRlLXNuYWNrLWFsbC15ZWFyLWxvbmcvVwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) deserves to be your favorite snack all year long - [Roger Stone](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvcm9nZXItc3RvbmUtaXMtZmVkLXVwLXdpdGgtYW5kLXVzZXMtb2YtdmlvbGVuY2UtdG8tbWFrZS10aGF0LXZlcnktY2xlYXIvVwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) is fed up with Trump and uses threats of violence to make that very clear - Murder, she edited: In PBS' ["Magpie Murders,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvbWFncGllLWxlc2xleS1tYW52aWxsZS1wYnMtbWFzdGVycGllY2UvVwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Lesley Manville is a publishing world mystery sleuth - [Mars](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvbWFycy1tYXktaGF2ZS1iZWVuLXRlZW1pbmctd2l0aC1saWZlLXVudGlsLWl0LXVuZGVyd2VudC1jbGltYXRlLWNoYW5nZS1zdHVkeS1zdWdnZXN0cy9XA3NwY0IKY0fINU1jLSnKplIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) may have been teeming with life until it underwent climate change, study suggests - The inauspicious arrival of [Bruce Springsteen](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvYnJ1Y2Utc3ByaW5nc3RlZW4tYWxidW1zLWdyZWV0aW5ncy1hc2J1cnktcGFyay13aWxkLWlubm9jZW50L1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - [Trump Jr.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvanItaGFzLWNvbnNwaXJhY3ktdGhlb3JpZXMtYWJvdXQtbmFuY3ktcGVsb3Npcy1qYW4tNi12aWRlb19wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) has conspiracy theories about Nancy Pelosi's Jan. 6 video - I won big on ["Jeopardy!"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTUvaS13b24tYmlnLW9uLWplb3BhcmR5LXNvLXdoeS1kb2VzLWl0LXN0aWxsLWhhdW50LW1lL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) So why does it still haunt me? - The autumnal [apple stack cake](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTUvdGhlLWF1dHVtbmFsLWFwcGxlLXN0YWNrLWNha2UtaXMtcmljaC1pbi1mbGF2b3ItYW5kLWFwcGFsYWNoaWFuLWZvbGtsb3JlL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) is rich in flavor and Appalachian folklore - Did [Madonna](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTUvZGlkLW1hZG9ubmFzLWltLWdheS10aWt0b2stcmVhbGx5LW1lYW4td2hhdC13ZS10aGluay1pdC1tZWFucy9XA3NwY0IKY0fINU1jLSnKplIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)'s "I'm gay" TikTok really mean what we think it means? - Sugar, spice and everything nice: These [southern "tea cakes"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0R8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTUvc3VnYXItc3BpY2UtYW5kLWV2ZXJ5dGhpbmctbmljZS10aGVzZS1zb3V0aGVybi10ZWEtY2FrZXMtYXJlLXBlcmZlY3QtZm9yLWZhbGwtZW50ZXJ0YWluaW5nL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) are perfect for fall entertaining - ["The Rings of Power"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTUvdGhlLXJpbmdzLW9mLXBvd2VyLWZpbmFsZS1naXJsZnJpZW5kcy9XA3NwY0IKY0fINU1jLSnKplIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) shows us a new side of Middle-earth: girlfriends - I was a teenage swimmer. It took me decades to admit [my coach was abusive](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTUvaS13YXMtYS10ZWVuYWdlLXN3aW1tZXItaXQtdG9vay1tZS1kZWNhZGVzLXRvLWFkbWl0LW15LWNvYWNoLXdhcy1hYnVzaXZlL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - What's in a name: [Kurdish martyr Jîna Amini](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTUvd2hhdHMtaW4tYS1uYW1lLWt1cmRpc2gtbWFydHlyLWpuYS1hbWluaS1hbmQtdGhlLXN0cnVnZ2xlLWZvci1jdWx0dXJlLWFuZC1oaXN0b3J5L1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) and the struggle for culture and history Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (Ollie Upton/HBO) Alicent Hightower of "House of the Dragon" is the Karen of Westeros "What have I done, but what was expected of me?" Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) raves in ["House of the Dragon."](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDIvd2hvc2UtdHJ1dGgtb24taG91c2Utb2YtdGhlLWRyYWdvbi13aGF0LWlzLXVuc2Vlbi1vZnRlbi1tYXR0ZXJzLW1vcmUtdGhhbi13aGF0cy1vbnNjcmVlbi9XA3NwY0IKY0fINU1jLSnKplIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)  "Where is duty? Where is sacrifice? It's trampled under your pretty foot again." In the seventh episode, she's fighting with her former friend/current stepdaughter Princess [Rhaenyra Targaryen](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTgvb2YtdGhlLWRyYWdvbi1yaGFlbnlyYS10YXJnYXJ5ZW4vVwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) (Emma D'Arcy), and eventually slices open Rhaenyra's arm with a knife. The ostensible source of Alicent's outrage is that Rhaenyra's son took our her son's eye in an otherwise childish brawl. But the rant exposes her deeper motive: plain old envy. Alicent and Rhaenyra were friends growing up, but turned on each other when their lives took very different paths. Alicent was married off to King Viserys (Paddy Considine), Rhaenyra's father. She must spend the rest of her days in a loveless marriage with a man who physically repulses her, while bearing one child after another without much break. Rhaenyra, meanwhile, is the heir to the throne and indulged by her father. She gets to have sex with cute guys ([and her uncle](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMTIvb2YtdGhlLWRyYWdvbi1pbmNlc3QtdGFyZ2FyeWVuL1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), because this is the "Game of Thrones" franchise), fly around on a dragon, and abscond to another castle when she gets sick of being around her miserable stepfamily. [Read the rest from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTYvYWxpY2VudC1oaWdodG93ZXItb2YtaG91c2Utb2YtdGhlLWRyYWdvbi1pcy10aGUta2FyZW4tb2Ytd2VzdGVyb3MvVwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Radioactive waste from WWII era found in U.S. elementary school," [Global News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly9nbG9iYWxuZXdzLmNhL25ld3MvOTIwMzExNS9yYWRpb2FjdGl2ZS13YXN0ZS13d2lpLWVyYS11LXMtZWxlbWVudGFyeS1zY2hvb2wtcmVwb3J0L1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Vaccines to treat cancer possible by 2030, say BioNTech founders," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3NvY2lldHkvMjAyMi9vY3QvMTYvdmFjY2luZXMtdG8tdHJlYXQtY2FuY2VyLXBvc3NpYmxlLWJ5LTIwMzAtc2F5LWJpb250ZWNoLWZvdW5kZXJzVwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Bill Murray Faces Avalanche Of New Accusations," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly9kZWFkbGluZS5jb20vMjAyMi8xMC9iaWxsLW11cnJheS1hY2N1c2F0aW9ucy1zZXRoLWdyZWVuLWdlZW5hLWRhdmlzLXJvYi1zY2huZWlkZXItMTIzNTE0NTY0NS9XA3NwY0IKY0fINU1jLSnKplIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Fauci describes bad feeling on day Trump suggested injecting disinfectant to cure Covid," [Independent](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0SCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQuY28udWsvbmV3cy93b3JsZC9hbWVyaWNhcy91cy1wb2xpdGljcy9hbnRob255LWZhdWNpLWRvbmFsZC10cnVtcC1jb3ZpZC1iMjIwMzkzMi5odG1sP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9cmVkZGl0LmNvbVcDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Getty Images/Allexxandar) How a legendary Harvard swim coach became an international fugitive Strap on your goggles for the wild, and until now untold, story of an iconic but now disgraced Harvard University swim coach named Joe Bernal. He mentored legendary swimmer David Berkoff, inventor of the revolutionary "Berkoff Blastoff" underwater backstroke start. Bernal himself was on U.S. Olympic team staffs in 1984 and 1988, and was inducted into three Halls of Fame — all this before his lifetime achievement honors were rescinded after he was banned by USA Swimming for multiple episodes of sexual abuse. [Read the rest from Irvin Muchnick.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTUvaG93LWEtbGVnZW5kYXJ5LWhhcnZhcmQtc3dpbS1jb2FjaC1iZWNhbWUtYW4taW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbC1mdWdpdGl2ZS9XA3NwY0IKY0fINU1jLSnKplIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmNHyDVNYy0pyqZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlL7rFP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpjR8g1TWMtKcqmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)